The Texas Rangers

Musket Cove, Fiji - a week of relaxation.......

2011-06-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

After a hectic wedding week in Denarau, we headed for Musket Cove on Malolo Island where we joined the honeymooners (invited of course!) This was a fabulous week relaxing in the sun and unwinding - time in the pool, the ocean, island hopping, snorkeling, kayaking - such a beautiful place - we certainly were on island time!

Kym & Karyn joined us for the week along with Lee & Rid & little Mia. It was amazing - if only we owned one of those yachts moored just offshore...........

The Wedding........

2011-06-03T15:41:00.001-07:00

Friday May 6th 2011

After months of preparation the big day finally arrived and what a sensational day it turned out to be. The bride looked absolutely gorgeous, the bridal party complemented her perfectly and the Fiji Sheraton venue was just spectacular. The Fijian Choir and Fijian Warriors gave it a definite tropical island flavor - it was such a fun wedding with copious amounts of food, wonderful service, awesome speeches and some very energetic moves on the dance floor.........

Fiji - Pre-Wedding

2011-05-31T16:53:00.000-07:00

May 2011

We arrived in Denarau on Monday morning May 2nd at 5.30am and very excited about the upcoming 2 weeks of catching up with family, especially Josh and Blake & Jonno & Jesse as well as friends we haven't seen for a long time. Celebrating Blake & Jonno's wedding was more than exciting and of course spending non-stop time with our grandbaby Jesse - excited hardly begins to explain how we were feeling!

...............................................................................................................................................................

Some pre-wedding highlights -

Shelda, Blake, Toni & I enjoyed lunch and a cocktail in Port Denarau before most of the guests had arrived.

South Sea Island Trip -

The day before the wedding all the guests (nearly 60 of them) came together and enjoyed a wonderful day cruising over to South Sea Island. We were entertained by local dancers and singers, snorkeled, played volleyball, sailed, cruised the coral reef in a submarine, ate fabulous food, met lots of Blake & Jonno's friends and family and had an absolutely amazing day. The setting was so perfect that Jonno's younger brother, Matthew, got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend Carlena - so romantic, particularly when he drew a heart in the sand and wrote 'marry me' in it.......

Wedding Preview.....

2011-05-10T16:13:00.000-07:00

Just a snapshot of one very awesome wedding and one stunning bride and bridal party. More info and photos next week when we have more internet time, so stay tuned.

We're currently kicking back on a remote island enjoying the sun, sand and surf........

2011-05-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

Farewell

USA

Our phenomenal time in the States has now finished - at least for the time being!

Who would have guessed we would stay for 4-1/2yrs and then relocate ourselves to NZ? The next chapter is about to be written………….

Ciao America – we’ve loved every second here.

Our Last Week In Houston.........

2011-04-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

An exciting week but also bittersweet - we are so sad leaving but so happy to be heading down under to spend more time with our family - Jesse here we come and Houston we'll be back!!!!

Thursday 21st April:

Breakfast with Judy – today we celebrated Judy’s birthday – so glad we were able to be with her on her special day and to also have this time to say farewell.
We have no doubt that Judy will visit us down under and we’re certainly excited about that. Judy has been a big part of our lives and definitely played a big part in Jesse’s life – not only did she perform his baptism, she also opened her home for the occasion.

Friday 22nd:

Yoga farewell lunch – I’ve been going to Friday morning yoga for 4 years now and have made many friends in this class – particularly with our instructor Nancy. Nancy organized a farewell lunch at her house to farewell John & I and also fellow Aussie classmate Heather who is heading back to Melbourne.

Saturday 23rd:

Houston Fit breakfast at Fountainview Café – organized by Patty. This was our second farewell with friends from Houston Fit – what a fabulous group of people – we will really miss ya'll.

Tuesday 26th:

Breakfast with Dev - thanks for all the lovely sentiments and words of appreciation you expressed – we value your friendship too.

Nancy’s visit – a very emotional visit as Nancy gave me a most precious gift – a hand carved owl brooch made by her grandfather for her mother. Nancy is just so special and I only accepted this amazing gift on the proviso I can return it to her one day when she visits us in NZ!

Dinner with Hugh & Donna - Hugh and Donna are two really special friends. We met them through Houston Fit and one of John’s most memorable occasions was when he crossed the marathon finish line with Hugh – it was Hugh’s first ever marathon making it extra special. We were also honored to be invited to their daughter Joanna’s wedding. Hugh always says we have parallel lives – we have been married as long as them and have two children, a boy & a girl who are approx. the same ages. We enjoyed a lovely evening together and will definitely miss these two wonderful people.

Wednesday:

Packing/Removal Day. After an exhausting month of sorting out what was going and what was staying the reality that we are moving arrived. A five man packing crew arrived at 9am and at 9pm they squeezed the last of our stuff into the 20’ container. These guys were just awesome and John pitched in and helped cart boxes out to the container. We will see that container again in NZ in about 3 months. We are now sleeping in an empty apartment on 2 borrowed single mattresses and two fold up chairs and a small table complete our range of furniture (thanks to Jackie & Chris from upstairs) – there is a definite camping feel in the air……..

Thursday:

John – farewell lunch with work. John’s work crew took him out for a farewell lunch where they reminisced about his ventures all over North America. He has had some incredible work experiences and worked alongside some most inspiring colleagues with whom he will stay in touch.

Julie - Lunch with the girls - Pat, Candace, Diane & Beth. We gathered at Baba Yega’s, one of my favorite restaurants, and enjoyed a most wonderful time together. Diane presented me with my very first corsage - I felt like a prom queen!

Today we also said farewell to our “surrogate” grandson, Patrick and his mum Ginny. He was born just a few months after Jesse so we loved spending time with him when he visited his grandma and grandpa, Jackie & Chris. When Jesse visited us in Houston last year, he and Patrick got together and enjoyed a play date. We’ll all keep in touch with Skype – it will be fun seeing Patrick grow up from the other side of the world and lovely that Jesse has a little international buddy.

Farewell dinner with Raw Food Potluck - Our preference for eating raw foods is one of the many life changing experiences we take from our time here so it was fitting that we attend our last pot luck and thank those who have taught us so much.

Friday:

Up at 4am to watch Will & Kate get married – of course it will have nothing on the wedding next week of Queen Blake & Duke Jonno!

Lunch with Jackie & Chris, Nancy & Laura at Crickets in the Heights. This was the last time we were going to see Jackie so it was our final farewell – very sad but we’re sure her & Chris will make the trip down under so we certainly look forward to that – in the meantime we’ll just have to skype. We both became first time grandmothers within 3 months of each other so have definitely bonded with our grandson stories and we just love that she has been so generous in sharing her little Patrick with us.

Farewell to Chris & Thia & Lydia – we couldn’t leave without saying farewell to Chris & Thia, the owners of our favorite tea house “The Path of Tea”. They also lived in NZ for 6 years and would love to visit there again one day. Lydia joined us at The Path of Tea and we had quite a tearful farewell with her – she is one of our most special friends and we’ll miss her heaps.

A Weekend of Farewells......

2011-04-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

15 - 17th April 2011

Friday

Baseball……

Friday night we enjoyed an evening at the baseball with Diane & George, Candace, Bart & Zach and Pat & Sam watching the Houston Astros play the San Diego Padres.

It was a special night that included a tribute to Jackie Robinson who was the first black Major League Baseball player and instrumental in bringing an end to racial segregation in professional baseball, which, up until then, had relegated black players to the Negro leagues. He played with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.

Jackie Robinson’s number was 42 and each player on both teams wore that number in honor of him (quite confusing to new comers like us!) We also received a t-shirt when we arrived which was great – a fabulous memento for us with the Astros on the front and Jack Robinson and no. 42 on the back.

Unfortunately the Astros lost but it was a great game, we learned just a little more about the rules and definitely enjoyed the spectacular firework display at the end of the night (apparently put on especially for our farewell!! mmmm…….)

Saturday

Farewell from Houston Fit

We had a fabulous night with about 24 fellow walkers & runners when we gathered at Cheryl Harris’s home to say farewell and share an amazing array of gourmet food along with lots of good conversation and laughs. Stories were told including me bragging about the amazing ‘bling’ I have collected from my full and half marathon achievements. We all have fond memories of training together and being there when the goal of crossing the finish line was achieved.

Houston Fit has been a big part of our time here in Houston and we are so grateful to have been involved and to have made friends with so many wonderful people, not to mention getting ourselves fitter in the process. We say a big thank you for all the good wishes, cards and gifts we received – it certainly was a special night and one we will always remember.

Sunday

Farewell at the Path of Tea

Our awesome friend Lydia organized a farewell for us at the Path of Tea, a place we have grown to love. So many wonderful relationships have been created there, the organic tea is sensational and the owners, Thea & Chris, are amazing. It’s also been a meet-up venue for the Law of Attraction community and is always a great place to relax and enjoy the moment.

Sunday afternoon saw our friends come and say their goodbyes and relive memories and talk about the future. It was a great afternoon and anyone could be forgiven for thinking we have been living here for 10 years rather than 4.5. This community of friends has been very supportive and encouraging and will be friends for life – most have said they will come visit us in NZ – let’s hope so!!

A weekend of farewells has made our move seem more real - we're sad to be leaving but soooo happy to be moving closer to our grandbaby.........

Bye, bye Houston - we will be back!

Bunko, Azaleas, Art Festivals - just another week........

2011-03-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

Bunko

This time last week I attended a Bunko party! Pat held it at

her house as an activity for her ESL students – a great activity for them to practice their English. Bunko is a dice game involving 100% luck, no skill and lots of moving around between tables so a fun way to meet and chat to everyone. Did I mention that we played for money and I won!! I’ve got a copy of the rules so watch out NZ, Bunko is coming your way……..

Azaleas

John and I had a most pleasant walk through the streets of River Oaks a few days ago to see the most amazing array of azalea’s. Azalea bushes are spectacular flowering shrubs that are in full bloom each spring here in Houston. The flowers flourish in varying shades of pink, purple, white, red, and yellow and are absolutely sensational. Unfortunately after a few weeks the flowers wilt so we only have a small window each year in which to experience and enjoy their beauty.

On Saturday John & I walked along the Bayou to check out the new Rosemont pedestrian bridge recently built across Memorial Drive and much to our surprise we arrived amidst the grand opening! The Mayor, Annise Parker, was there to cut the beautiful red ribbon, a band was playing, amazing ‘living’ statues were moving slowly among the crowd and there was food and drink available for all present. What a great start to our day!

From there we walked back to Memorial Park where the bi-annual Bayou City Art Festival was being held. We wandered around the outdoor gallery experiencing the work of more than 300 artists (apparently more than 1500 artists applied to participate) – so many talented people!

Marathon & Half Marathons - Seabrook Tx

2011-03-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

Saturday & Sunday March 19th & 20th 2011

Possibly our last Texas events (who knows when we might be back!)

- held in Seabrook (about 35 miles south of Houston)

Saturday -

J & J - half marathon

Sunday -

Julie - half marathon

John - marathon

Wow - it was a very energetic weekend and quite challenging as spring has definitely sprung here and the temperatures and humidity were much higher than we anticipated. It was a hot event! The trail was fabulous and included a very picturesque section along the beach past a long jetty where we witnessed a flock of about a dozen pelicans flying above us in perfect formation - just spectacular. The sign warning us of alligators & snakes was a little intimidating though!

Our Houston Fit friends displayed a farewell sign near the finish line for us - it was just wonderful to see and very uplifting - we passed it several times as the course was 2 laps for the half and 4 laps for the full marathon. Pat & Sam and Candace & Bart also came out to cheer us on - it was so great to see them and a big surprise for us as we had no idea they were coming.

Cheryl, Diane & Rebecca presented us with a photo of the 3 of them together wearing their running gear - just so we'll never forget them (could never happen!) They also gave us the best farewell card displaying a 'porta potty' on the front and the saying "when you gotta go, you gotta go - goodbye and good luck" on the inside - just hilarious as these potties are always heaven sent when you're out there participating for hours at a time.

It was an awesome weekend and we're feeling great (although the legs are a little sore) - bring on those NZ hills! Thanks to Hugh for setting up the Houston Fit tent and looking after all our belongings each day and thanks to Kirk for sharing the journey with us on Saturday and my thanks to Sara for her support on Sunday - it's much more fun when participating with friends.

Farewell Houston, Texas & the USA!!!!

2011-03-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

Breaking news here in Houston is that we have decided to relocate to New Zealand.

Our grandson Jesse turned one this week (Feb 24th) and the year has just flown by. We want to be a part of Jesse's life, spend more time with Blake & Jonno and we really want to live closer to Josh.

Despite our love of this country, the many life long friendships that have been formed and the tremendous impact the experiences have had on us both, we know it's time. The US will always be here for us to visit.

So there it is - we fly out on April 30th bound for the wedding in Fiji and then onto New Zealand to start another chapter in our amazing lives.

Hooley dooley - never a dull moment eh!

Fort Worth & the Houston Rodeo - Yee Haw!

2011-03-05T12:36:00.000-08:00

We've certainly had a week filled with cowboys, wranglers, buckaroos, longhorns, horses, wagons.......

Last week we saw the trail-riders heading into downtown and this week we visited The Stockyards in Fort Worth (just outside Dallas) where we witnessed a longhorn cattle drive and on our return had a night at the Houston Rodeo.

We're really going to miss some of the lingo around here when we move -

Howdy pardner

Ride 'em cowboy

Head 'em up move 'em out

Whoa

Mount up

Save a horse, ride a cowboy (mmmmm!)

Reckon I'll just mosey on then...........along the Cowboy Walk of Fame (where we discovered a famous Texas Ranger - right next to Wyatt Earp of course!)

Rodeo Houston - lots of horse kicking, bull bucking and definitely something enjoyed by cowboy lovin' fans - think I prefer the beach although the cowboy hat has some appeal don't you think??

Rodeo Time in Houston........

2011-02-26T17:30:00.000-08:00

Saturday 26th Feb 2011

4 years ago today we first witnessed the cowboys & cowgirls on their horses and in their wagons, ride past our apartment block blaring out country music - our fave!

This time we decided to walk alongside them into downtown and back - about 10 miles. In downtown the riders, who came from all over Texas, integrated into a huge parade of floats, high school bands, cheerleaders, rodeo clowns - it was awesome and all happening because this is Rodeo time in Houston - yee haw!

Pennsylvania & West Virginia - Week 4

2011-02-15T13:33:00.001-08:00

Week 4 - Williamsport, Pa

This is our last week away and our 2nd week in Williamsport. Our free day on Sunday was fabulous - we drove up the Pine Creek Rail Trail to Wellsboro and the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon - truly magnificent.

We saw lots of deer on the side of the road - very exciting as wildlife had been quite scarce since arriving in this part of the country.

We drove through the little town of Morris - home of the Annual Rattlesnake Roundup - mmmm!

We lunched in Wellsboro - a most lovely town with gas lamps all along the central median strip and majestic homes lining the road - all snow covered and very picturesque.

We celebrated Valentine's Day here - a special day as it also commemorated the 1st year anniversary of Martha's husband Ben's death. She and John worked all day together and then we went to

dinner at Ruby Tuesday's to celebrate Valentine's Day and to also celebrate Ben's life - Martha was very brave and is continuing on life's journey with a smile and a strong faith in her religion and the belief

that everything happens for a reason.

Wednesday afternoon we walked along the banks of the mostly frozen Susquehanna River - it was a beautiful sunny day - refreshing and exhilarating although quite cold. During the 1800's this river was filled with thousands of log rafts and men on their way to markets hundreds of miles down river for the pine logs to be used for shipbuilding.

On Saturday we packed and headed back to Pittsburgh where we spent one night before heading home to Houston. On the way we drove through lots of small towns, asked directions from an Amish man in a buggy and shopped in a small Amish store well off the beaten track.

We were definitely in 'Amish land' seeing lots of large white houses, red barns, no electric poles and numerous buggies parked in driveways. Sometimes a simple life with no mod cons and no 'stuff' sounds quite liberating.

Pennsylvania & West Virginia - Week 3

2011-02-08T07:17:00.001-08:00

Week 3 - Buckhannon, West Virginia

Our 6 hour drive from Williamsport to Buckhannon was slow going however no amount of snow, sleet or ice will stop the intrepid Moody staff from delivering their programs! We saw numerous accidents and drove through an ice storm that nearly stopped our wipers from working. We were on an interstate so absolutely no possibility of pulling over - we just slowed down and were amazed at the speed of some drivers who zoomed past us in another lane!

Once again we had a free day on Sunday (with much improved weather conditions) and drove around town and into the nearby town of Weston where we saw the historic "lunatic asylum". An amazing building which now only provides ghost tours for the very brave - unfortunately we weren't there on a tour day - maybe next time!

We visited the Stonewall Jackson dam which was frozen over. This dam was completed in 1990 and built for flood control in the area. We then had fun at a nearby river throwing rocks through the ice and into the water - the sound was amazing - each break of the ice sounded like a gunshot!

Later that day we settled down in front on the tv to watch the Superbowl - I draped the Steelers scarf over the tv and we cheered on the black & yellow team but to no avail - they lost to the Green Bay Packers - oh well, it was a fun night anyway.

On Wednesday afternoon we drove up to Snowshoe Mountain, a local ski resort. It was absolutely beautiful - we walked through the resort town and ate dinner at a local restaurant. We were hoping to hire some snow mobiles however they were all booked so we went for a ride on a snowcat instead - it was very interesting and we got see a few of the ski runs and also the 'snow-making' workshop.

Driving back to Williamsport, Pennsylvania from Buckhannon, West Virginia, at the end of the week was great - we got to see a lot more than on the drive there a week earlier during the ice storm. We passed through the state of Maryland, saw an interesting sign at a cemetery prohibiting unauthorized digging, saw an 1858 schoolhouse as well as a Mennonite Church, roadside ice watersfalls, and lots of little snow-covered towns and stunning countryside. Three states in one day - all awesome.

Pennsylvania & West Virginia - Week 2

2011-02-01T12:25:00.000-08:00

Week 2 - Williamsport, Pennyslvania

Williamsport is a 2.5 hr drive east from Punxsutawney - another enjoyable drive through lots of snow covered small towns. We had Sunday free and explored the town and then drove into the countryside in search of covered bridges. Pennsylvania is also known as the 'Covered Bridge Capital of the World' - these bridges are built with wood and were covered to provide protection from the weather, dramatically extending the life of the bridges. We found two and walked across one of them - we had to rug up 'cos the temp was below freezing!

Earlier in the day we walked down "Millionaires Row" on West Fourth Street where we saw a string of about twenty mid-19th century mansions built and owned by lumber barons. Williamsport was once know as the lumber capital of the world, claiming to have more millionaires per capita living there than anywhere else in the world. I tried hard to choose one I would like to live in but they were all so amazing I'd be happy in any one of them! mmmm dream on!

We stayed in the Holiday Inn right next door to Wegman's, a fabulous supermarket where we did lots of food shopping. It was a cold, snowy week but still very beautiful - I just love snow. Mind you if I had to shovel it from the driveway everyday I might change my mind. John and Martha delivered their program at the nearby historic Ginetti Hotel and had a real life hillbilly in the class - he was fascinating and had several Amish friends and invited us over to meet them - unfortunately he lived 3 hours away so we couldn't take him up on the offer - it certainly would have been a wonderful experience.

Pennsylvania and West Virginia - Week 1

2011-02-01T11:29:00.000-08:00

Week 1 - Pittsburgh
and Punxsutawney

We flew into Pittsburgh on Sat 22nd January, the weekend the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the NY Jets and were catapulted into the 2011 Superbowl. Needless to say, Pittsburgh was draped in yellow and black, dancing to the music "We are the Champions" and its streets were filled with Steeler's fans. We definitely got caught up in the excitement - so much so that I bought a Steeler's scarf and next week we will be barracking for them in the Superbowl - go you Steelers!!!!

Pittsburgh is such a beautiful city - it's in a triangular shape created by 3 rivers - the Allegheny and the Monongahela merging into the Ohio River. There are 446 bridges in the city! Pittsburgh is actually known as 'The City of Bridges' and 'The Steel City'. It was covered in snow and absolutely picture perfect. We rode on the cable-powered Incline (also known as a funicular) which runs from the river valley to the top of the overlooking bluffs - just spectacular.

We drove onto Punxsutawney about 1.5 hrs north east of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh was alive with Steeler excitement and Punxsutawney was alive with Groundhog Day and Groundhog Phil excitement!

On February 2 every year, Groundhog Phil comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob - in front of thousands of followers from all over the world - to predict the weather for the rest of winter. According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather.

If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring. The first official trek to Gobbler's Knob was made on February 2, 1887!

Unfortunately we had to leave Punxy before Groundhog Day so will have to watch the outcome on tv! We did however enjoy the build up in the town - and did visit Phil in his burrow a couple of times to say hi. He lives in the centre of town with his wife Phyllis!

Our week in Punxsutawney was very white - it snowed everyday - so beautiful. We stayed in the Jackson Run B & B run by Donna & George. The property had a large house and also a cottage. We stayed in the 2 bedroom cottage - John, myself and Martha (who is working with John over the next few weeks). The property also had a large barn which housed several horses. I had a very relaxing week - knitting, reading and watching the snow fall - who could ask for more!

On Wednesday when John and Martha had the afternoon free, we drove to the nearby Amish town of Smicksburg. Unfortunately most of the stores there were closed due to the heavy snow falling that day but we did see some Amish people driving their horse-drawn buggies - they must have been sooooo cold!

The countryside was absolutely spectacular - the tiny towns, the snow covered trees, the frozen rivers - we definitely enjoyed our time in this area.

Marathon - USA Fit 2011

2011-01-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

2 PR's (personal records) in 2 weeks - 2011 is starting off in the fast lane........

Yesterday we completed another marathon - my 3rd. It was a very wet day although the rain was actually quite nice - cool and refreshing for the 6hrs 55mins we were on the route. One of the highlights was when we crossed the finishing line (of course crossing the finish line is always a highlight!) and were greeted by Margo & Ed who presented us with 3 beautiful roses. Sara and Gary were also cheering us across the line. Both these couples had participated in events earlier in the day and waited especially for us to finish - absolutely amazing as the day was dreary and wet and they could have left and been home in front of the heater - so we really appreciated them hanging around for us. Our friend Hugh was on the microphone announcing the finishers and as we approached he joked with everyone that we had flown in from Australia especially for the event! It was so nice to hear his voice as we approached that last 100 yards just knowing that we were nearly there. Sara, Gary, Ed, Margo & Hugh are all members of Houston Fit and have definitely become part of our 'Houston family". Of course I am most grateful to my own special personal coach - once again John walked with me for support and encouraged me all the way - he's so 'orsom'!

2011-01-17T18:00:00.000-08:00

Thursday Jan 13th am

Lunch with Pat, Beth & Lynette

Pat and John met 4 years ago while participating in the Houston Marathon and now Pat has 'picked up' another Aussie couple while cycling. I think she actually attracts folk from down under! She then thought it would be a great idea for the two Aussies girls to meet so organized a walk in the park and lunch. It was wonderful spending time with Lynette who is from Brisbane and she was able to fill me in on news from home including an update on the devastating floods. Very little is telecast here re Australia or any other country outside the USA for that matter so it was nice to catch up on what's been happening. We walked around Storey Park and then lunched in Chinatown - just perfect. Thanks Pat.

Thurs 13th pm

An Evening with Marianne Williamson

Lydia invited me along to hear Marianne Williamson, a spiritual activist and an advocate of "A Course in Miracles". It was the most wonderful evening and I left with my head full of amazing thoughts and new goals. Thanks Lydia for another awesome experience.

Anna & Bill leave Texas.........

2011-01-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

Wednesdsay Jan 5th 2011

We met Aussies Bill and Anna here in Houston (Bill and John worked together) and became dear friends. Anna & I have spent a lot of time together - shopping, manicures, lunches.......

It's been a great 3-/12 years and we'll miss your smiling faces.

Bye bye Anna & Bill - see you back in Aussie land one day.

New Year's 2011

2011-01-03T17:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone - 2011 is going to be an 'orsom' year!

We had a very quiet New Year's Eve 'cos we needed to be up really early on New Year's Day to compete in a half marathon. Definitely a great way to start 2011 - very invigorating and energizing.

I had a goal to finish the walk in 3hrs 10 mins and I made it with 15 seconds up my sleeve!!! John walked with me and was so encouraging and motivating as usual - he's amazing. The course was fabulous - the path was completely shaded and skirted around a large lake and a smaller waterway, lots of trees and beautiful homes - so much to look at which was a definite distraction from sore feet! Every participant's name was attached to a tree along the route with an individual motivational message - another fun way to be distracted. The organization was flawless and we all received lots of goodies - the absolute best being the medal - it's enormous and weighs in at 3.5lbs - very impressive and worth every step. A great day and definitely a great warm up to the marathon we are participating in in 2 weeks time.

Jesse’s 1st visit with Santa……

2010-12-26T16:35:00.000-08:00

Poor child was absolutely terrified, scared witless by the fat man in the red suit……….

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T15:45:00.000-08:00

We spent this Christmas in Houston and loved driving the neighborhood checking out the festive lights. On Christmas Eve we joined Lydia and her family (Mum Marion, Dad Bill & Auntie Glenda) at Unity Church for the annual candle lighting service and then on Christmas Day, after opening all our pressies from under the tree, we once again met up with Lydia at our local theatre and watched “The King’s Speech” – fabulous movie. Christmas lunch was at Nancy’s house with Nancy & Ken, Joe, Sheila, John & I. Great food and great company making it another wonderful Christmas – my favorite time of the year.

Christmas lights -

Christmas Eve -

Christmas Day -

John's Birthday

2010-12-26T15:35:00.000-08:00

21st December 2010

John is currently on vacation so it was great having the whole day together to celebrate. We started with a cruise along the Port of Houston – very interesting and wonderful being out in the fresh air! We followed this with lunch in the Heights, afternoon tea with Judy & Dev and then dinner at Vietopia with just the two of us. A fun day, which of course also involved Skype calls from Aust & NZ including chatting with Auntie Ruth, Roma and Shelda. Mmmmm – wasn’t going to mention that this is the last year in his 50’s!!!

10 Days in Colorado

2010-12-20T19:56:00.000-08:00

Dec 7^th – 16^th

John’s assignment was in Loveland Colorado about an hour north of Denver at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains – an absolutely beautiful part of the USA. We spent time in Denver, Boulder, Golden, Fort Collins, Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains National Park that was covered in snow. He had two workshops to run with one of his favorite co-facilitators Martha, however between the workshops and other meetings we did get out and about to discover the area.

We spent Sunday exploring and visited The Rocky Mountains National Park which looked absolutely beautiful – definitely picture postcard stuff. We walked around the frozen Bear Park and sank knee deep in the snow – such fun. We hiked up to Gem Lake near Estes Park – a 1000ft ascent in 1.7 miles – we certainly earned the magnificent view awaiting us at the top.

Rocky Mtn Nat Pk incl. Bear Park -

Hiking from Lumpy Ridge to Gem Lake -

While in Loveland we walked around Lake Boyd, which hasn’t frozen yet, but it won’t belong. Along the way we came across some great statues – a miniature Statue of Liberty, a statue of children playing and a statue of 2 turtles. At night we checked out the Christmas lights and were most impressed – Americans just love Christmas lights and decorating!

.............................................................................................................Joan, wife of client’s manager, took me on a guided tour of Fort Collins, a large college town & home to Colorado State University. We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch and a visit to the Pendleton store (all the garments sold here are manufactured in the US at the Pendleton Woolen Mills). Joan was very convincing about the quality of the garments so of course I just had to purchase a new coat….

It was a great getaway for us and we just loved the snow – not quite sure about the cold though – certainly made us appreciate the sun in Houston! Experiencing all the Christmas hoopla in winter, particularly seeing the snow fall is amazing – definitely something we will always remember.

Ronan Tynan & the Presidential Library

2010-12-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

30th November 2010

An Irish Christmas with Ronan Tynan

and

The George Bush Snr Presidential Library

What can I say? This is the third time we've attended a Ronan Tynan concert since arriving here in Houston and he is just awesome. Loved the Christmas theme - a fabulous night!

The concert was held at the Texas A&M University in College Station (about two hours north of Houston). We arrived during the afternoon giving us time to visit the George Bush Snr Presidential Library and Museum. We were particularly impressed with the magnificent statue outside the library representing 'the day the wall came down' - it is not about horses, it is a monument for freedom. It depicts 5 horses running through the rubble of the collapsed Berlin Wall.

Group Dinner - Christmas Get Together in the Woodlands

2010-11-29T20:52:00.001-08:00

Sat Nov 20th 2010

Pat & Sam, Diane & George, Candace & Bart, John and I enjoyed a fun night in the Woodlands (a township about an hour north of Houston) celebrating Christmas and each others company. We played 'tourists' and rode on the canal boat listening to the driver describe the surrounding area - its history, geography, culture and so many other interesting facts. As the sunset, the Christmas lights lit up the area creating a real festive experience. We walked along the canal, ate a delicious meal and shared gifts. John and I actually booked into the Marriott and stayed the night - so nice not having to drive home after a wonderful evening - it just continued. We were also celebrating our wedding anniversary - 36 special years and we're looking forward to the next 36! Thanks everyone for another great night together.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-29T20:22:00.000-08:00

Another year, another awesome Thanksgiving. This year we shared the day with 15 others at our friend Judy's house. We were surrounded with so much gratitude and so much food - unbelievable. Carnivores, vegetarians, vegans and rawfood vegans gathered together and devoured gourmet food matching everyone's culinary needs. We all ate like royalty (did I mention that one of the guests is a chef!!) and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon - so much to be thankful for - life continues to be really special.........

Galveston Half Marathon

2010-11-24T11:49:00.000-08:00

Sat 20th Nov 2010

A group of us participated in the inaugural Galveston half marathon and yours truly delivered a personal best time - yay! The route was wonderful - most of which was along the seawalk overlooking the Gulf of Mexico - conditions would have been perfect had the temp been a few degrees cooler. Apart from that it was a great morning and lovely to be able to enjoy it with friends - Pat & Sam, Candace & Bart, Eunice & Kirk, Sara, Elsie & Beverly.

Next event - Kingwood half marathon on new year's day (guess what time we'll be in bed on new year's eve!!!!) and then 2 weeks later a full marathon in Sugarland.

John's busy working life.......

2010-11-24T09:06:00.000-08:00

This past 3 months John Francis has been working away from Houston - traveling early most Tuesday mornings and getting home on Friday nights. He loves his life as a facilitator and coach, loves working with guys and girls of the oil and gas drilling rigs and most of all he gets to see new places although being away from home of course is not what we would choose but a great way to check out the country.

Most of September John was in Abilene Texas, about an 8 hr drive NW of Houston, although he flew there via Dallas. He was invited to visit a ranch and saw kids learning the skill of 'roping' - just the thing for young cowboys to learn.

October and this month he has been working up in Fort Smith Arkansas and has been in awe of the countryside - the Ozark Mountain ranges, the lodge at the top of Mt. Magazine, which he describes as a mini grand canyon, Heber Springs just out of Searcy - all so picturesque, particularly now as it is 'fall' and the leaves are changing and displaying all those great autumn colours. Then there's the majestic Arkansas River which flows through the town of Fort Smith - so many places he wants to show me....

He's back in town for Thanksgiving and then in December I get to accompany him on a two week job he has in Loveland Colorado and we should see some of the first snows of the year - sounds like a great precursor to Christmas!

Heber Springs:

Martha, Craig, Dev, John, Amy

New Email Address.....

2010-10-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately a hacker stole our hotmail address and all its contents - not nice eh!

The hacker also sent out the distress email to everyone implying that we were in trouble in the UK and needed money.

We would like to say that we are safe and well in Houston and are definitely not stranded in the UK. The email was a hoax sent by the hacker trying to extract money from people.

So please do not send emails to the fishmorefish address as some lowlife is out there receiving them!

Our new email address is:

johnandjulie@healthfulhabits.com

We would also like to thank all our wonderful friends for their emails and phone calls and offers of money to help us out of our so-called desperate situation. There is always a positive side to everything and experiencing the offers of help from so many friends was certainly the positive to come from this terrible incident.

Tyler Half Marathon 10/10/10

2010-10-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

What were you doing on 10/10/10? We were competing in a half marathon in Tyler, Texas......

Tyler is the rose capital of the nation and is about 3-4 hrs north east of Houston. We stayed 2 nights in this beautiful town which gave us some time to explore. We particularly loved our walk around the City Rose Garden with friends Elsie & Beverley followed by dinner with them at Ryan's Restaurant.

Quite a contingent from our Purple group also completed the event - Eunice, Donna, Elsie, Deb, Debra, Elizabeth & Anna and quite a few others from Houston Fit also made the trip - Hugh, Kirk, Rebecca, Gay, Felix, Patty, Beverley - some doing the full marathon, some doing the half. We enjoyed a pre-race dinner with them and were entertained with the 'Marilyn Monroe' version of happy birthday from Hugh Fred & D'Lisa celebrating Michael Barnes' 55th birthday.

This was our first event for the season and I was really happy with my time - especially considering the hilly terrain (I haven't walked a hill in some time!!!!) and it was also quite hot. John, Eunice, Elizabeth & I walked together for most of the race and we really appreciated the encouragement along the way from John - he certainly keeps us focused and moving. The route was particularly lovely - lots of tree lined streets giving us great shade. As always I was so impressed and motivated by our friend Elsie - she's 72 and completed the half marathon winning an award for her age group.

Our rose medals are fabulous - just love the bling!

more Jesse photos......

2010-10-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

Jesse eating - yum, yum....delicious!

Blake & Jesse's visit to the USA - yay!

2010-10-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

The time had finally arrived – we’ve been talking about their trip for ages and everything was in readiness for them. Our apartment was filled with baby stuff – cot, highchair, pram, car seat, toys, books, nappies, baby clothes……….. Julie Ruth & John Frances were definitely ready!

Week 1 – San Francisco

Blake & Jesse flew to San Francisco from Auckland and I flew up to SF to help her on the last leg of the journey knowing she would probably be exhausted after a 12hr flight with a baby on her lap! We spent a few days there unwinding before flying on to Houston. It was so great to see them both. They looked incredible. Blake was gorgeous and Jesse was adorable (of course). I spent the first 3 months of Jesse’s life with him and he was now 6 months old and had grown soooo much and developed an amazing personality – so happy all the time! It was just lovely being able to spend more time with him.

We caught the double decker tourist bus and saw all the sights – Fisherman’s Wharf (where Jesse had his 1st merry-go-round ride and where we introduced him to the most fabulous fruit stand – he’s just going to love raw food!), views across the water to Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, the Victorian houses featured in the Full House tv show (an old favorite of Blake’s), the crooked street etc . We rode on a trolley, caught up on a lot of exercise walking up and down those hilly SF streets, shopped and ate (that was the beginning of a definite pattern!)

We found this great restaurant called The Stinking Rose – a garlic restaurant. It was sensational – their motto is ‘we flavor our garlic with food!’ – the food was to die for and Blake & I must have smelled like a garlic clove for days – not that we cared!

Jesse was amazing – he experienced every nook and cranny SF had to offer, he was plonked on and off buses, in and out of his stroller and smiled the whole time – what a traveler! Think I forgot to mention that he slept most of the way over on the plane – Blake should have enjoyed the flight however the turbulence was quite severe and she vowed never to fly again (of course we had to get to Houston so it was only a matter of days before she was back in the air – she’s so brave!)

Finally in Houston……

Blake & Jesse’s visit – what can I say? It was awesome – they are awesome.

We were so busy – Blake had a very long list of things to achieve – the purchase of an engagement ring (she bought a stunner!), a wedding dress (another stunner!), wedding party outfits, clothes, shoes, bags – you name it, it was on her list!! We really did shop until we dropped and Jesse just smiled through it all – he’s such a happy baby. He won the hearts of everyone he met – how could they not fall for his beautiful smile.

We managed to fit in so many things - including a party especially for them, Jesse’s christening, visiting friends, a play date, yoga classes, sightseeing and we even attended one of Joel’s church services. In amongst this, we ate and ate and ate – Blake experienced so many of the wonderful restaurants and cafés here in Houston. I’m sure she’d tell you her favorite eating place was The Chocolate Bar where she enjoyed a fabulous chocolate/banana concoction – yum!

Blake & Jesse surprised us early one Saturday morning - we meet with our Houstin Fit walking group at 5am and on completion of our walk, there they were waiting at the finish line. It was such a wonderful surprise - they had walked from our apartments (1.5miles / 2.5kms) just to share in our achievements - it definitely put a spring in my step over those last 100 yards!

"our little Texan"

Jesse enjoyed his first ‘play date’ with little Patrick. Patrick is 4 months old so a little younger – he is the grandson of our friends Jackie & Chris and the son of their daughter Ginny and her husband Ryan. It’s fun to know that Jesse has a little American friend.

Blake actually bought a book to read while relaxing at the pool in our spare time – mmmmm what spare time? – hooley dooley in her dreams!! Luckily we did find time to have fun in the pool and really enjoyed Jesse’s first ‘swim’ – he’s a natural! Actually the weather was very hot and humid for the first couple of weeks so the pool was certainly the place to cool down, relax and soothe our feet.

John Francis was amazing with Jesse and looked after him so many times. He entertained him in the shopping centres, in the pool, walked him around the apartment complex and the neighbourhood, sang to him, told him stories, bathed him, fed and changed him – what a man! He loved every single moment and found it very difficult to say goodbye – maybe even as hard as I did!

Blake Verity’s new haircut – gorgeous isn’t she!! Not only a great mum but good looking as well!

'Sip & See' & Jesse's Christening

We invited our friends to a “Sip & See” where they could meet and spend some time with Blake & Jesse. We held it at the home of our friend Judy Harper – it was a fun day surrounded by so many friends and lots of food.

Judy is a minister and we took this opportunity to christen little Jesse. It was absolutely amazing. Judy talked about the importance of community and how it takes a community to raise a child. Everyone stood in a circle, with Blake, Jesse, John & I in the centre, and as a jug of water was passed around, everyone blessed the water with their loving thoughts and expressed their wishes and intentions for Jesse’s future. I particularly like Russell’s wish that Jesse has children and his children have children and they have children – such a lovely forethought to ponder. So many beautiful things were said – there was certainly a lot of love in the room! It was a very moving experience – everyone played a part and it was very touching, spiritual and definitely memorable.

Yoga with Nancy

Blake & Jesse came along to 3 yoga classes with me. They both participated and Jesse was 'adopted' by the group who loved his happy presence and especially loved Blake's calmness and commented on her being a great mum - so relaxed and easy going. Jesse led us in many yoga positions - his body is so much more flexible than ours!

The Path of Tea - Charlie, Thia & Chris

Please meet Charlie (red shirt) - he is a very special person and friend and has been given the title of honorary Godfather to little Jesse! He actually knew about Blake's pregnancy before John! I was outside the Path of Tea when Blake called with the news - I was so excited I ran inside and shared the scoop with Charlie. When I finally calmed down I realized that John (who was working out of town) didn't know - of course I remedied that very quickly. Thia is Charlie's daughter and she & her husband Chris are the wonderful owners of The Path of Tea and were equally excited to meet Jesse. The actually lived in NZ for 6 years so feel a special affinity to our little kiwi.

Farewell time………

All vacations have an end date and usually that date arrives much too quickly. Another wonderful time together, another farewell - mmmmm sure doesn’t get any easier.
Blake is an amazing mum – she’s so calm, patient and giving. Jesse is one lucky baby – I guess Blake is the reason he smiles all the time! We love them and miss them so much but are so grateful for Skype – we can see and talk to them as often as we want which is great.
We know we will see them in Fiji for the wedding in May – can we last that long without seeing them???? That’s the million dollar question………..once again, stay tuned………..

Shelda's Book Published - Sensational!

2010-10-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Shelda’s first book, "Pundemonium", showcasing a collection of her poetry, was launched on September 18th – wow what an achievement!

My cuz the Punstar!

She has also had several of her poems published in magazines including the Writers’Forum magazine in the UK – certainly on her way to becoming one of the rich and famous.

John and I are so proud of her dedication, her persistence to keep at it (sometimes against the odds) and the passion she has for her work. Shelda sets goals, achieves them and then sets more goals – a definite path to success. She is always focused on realizing her dreams and that is an amazing quality. Her book is now in some Adelaide bookstores as well as being circulated around Texas and who knows where they may end up!

Great job cuz – we love you!

ps really appreciate the dedication in your book (does that make us famous too???)

A sneak preview of one of her gems......

A Cut Above
Hairdresser, Anita Trim, is determined
to entertain clients in her salons. It's
a sweeping move to provide more colour
and flair. Some nearly dyed laughing,
already conditioned to this floorshow,
while others gave it the brush-off and said
it's not their style.
A few fringe dwellers wanted her scalp.
They sprayed her with expletives trying
to foil her efforts, but these have washed over.
A permanent wave of stand-up has taken off.
Indeed, she's combing other salons for new
material to create a mirror image of this model.
Let's face it - this is a hair-raising
innovation with real body and bounce,
the highlight of the year. It's shaping up
to be a great success. Trim is certainly
at the cutting edge!

Auntie Merle 1919-2010

2010-10-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Auntie Merle's memorial service was held on the day of her 91st birthday, September 25th. She was one of my mum's older sisters and the last of the 4 Beames sisters - now that generation have all passed.

Auntie Merle has always been a part of my life and we had regular get-togethers until our relocation to the US four years ago. She leaves us with some wonderful memories - her geneosity, her hospitality and her always smiling face - we are so grateful to have had her in our lives. Her goal was to live to the ripe old age of 98 - so close........

Bye Bye Auntie Merle

With happy memories love Julie, John, Josh & Blake

Thanks to cousin Shelda for the following tribute poem -

Ode to Merle

Merle, you were a beam of light,

a ray of laughter, ever jolly and bright,

you filled a home with happiness and joy

a natural gift, certainy no ploy.

Our memoris are vivid, full of colour and life,

rumpus room parties were certainly rife,

with tea towels hanging on the walls, so rare,

and gourmet delights, prolific, open fare.

George, your husband, forever devoted,

was there, supportive and always noted,

you relished travel to far, exotic places,

and cruised the seas, befriended new faces.

An avid collector, a Beames family trait,

your house was adorned, in a chaotic state,

with birds, Toby jugs and leadlight regalia,

trying to give it all up was definitely a failure!

And then there was your kitchen so blue,

where meals were prepared for many a do,

you cooked a mean roast with all the trimmings,

and your strawberry cream sponges had everyone grinning!

At Easter your rabbits were renowned far and wide,

indeed, those marshmallow delights multiplied,

every year there were bunnies, bunnies galore,

and people came knocking at all hours for more.

You certainly loved a birthday celebration,

with rellies and friends, group hugs, what elation -

and now we celebrate your 91 years,

your kindness, good humour, there's even a few tears.

But we thank you, Merle, for your love and your care,

your rollicking laugh still rings in the air,

we'll cherish the memories and continue to hold,

your radiant smile, your heart of gold.

Kayaking along the Buffalo Bayou

2010-08-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

Aug 29th 2010

After 4 years of living on the Bayou, we finally got in it, or at least on it. We participated in an 8 mile kayak tour which saw us paddle right past our apartment complex. With the heat of the day behind us we set out around 6pm accompanied by our friends Pat & Sam – all up there were 7 kayaks in our group.

It was just an awesome experience kayaking the Bayou towards downtown, taking in sights of greenery, mansions in River Oaks, turtles, snakes (well someone saw one) – but no gators. It was certainly different seeing our neighborhood from a different angle and definitely something I’d love to do again.

With sore butts we climbed back onto terra firma around 8.30pm against the beautiful downtown skyline – a great setting to end a great paddle.

Julie's Birthday Week – full of fun things….

2010-08-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

Group Dinner - Aug 22nd 2010

We always look forward to our ‘group dinner’ (4 couples including us) however this was extra special because the occasion celebrated my birthday and also Bart’s – it was Bart & Candace who hosted the gathering and the theme was travel. We took kiwi fruit (NZ) and a red & white salad (Canada) representing where we had been these past 2 months. Some of the pics show Bart’s wooden sculpture work - that’s George W Bush standing next to me and some loose woman next to John!!

My Birthday – Aug 24th

Early hours of my birthday John flew to West Texas for work but not before he presented me with the most beautiful bunch of a dozen red roses. Gifts from Blake and Shelda were opened before he left and soon after his departure flowers from Josh were delivered. Then the tsunami of birthday greetings via emails and facebook came through – thankyou to everyone who sent their best wishes acknowledging my 4th birthday in the US (sounds much better than my actual age eh!)

Tunnel Tour – Aug 26th

Pat invited me to join in on her students' field trip – this particular one taking us through the tunnels beneath downtown and also up to the 60th floor of the Chase building which offers amazing views of the city. The informative morning was also shared with Sam, Anna, Jackie, Judy, Diane & Candace (17 people in all). Blake and I did a similar tour not long after John & I arrived in Houston – let me say that this one was soooo much better - in fact Blake & I still laugh when we talk about our tour as it was particularly long and boring (spending 45 minutes in an underground carpark listening to facts and figures on car spaces etc was just one of the highlights), not to mention we were the only two participating so we couldn’t just slip away unnoticed! Anyway this one was great and we finished the morning enjoying a meal together in the tunnels. Thanks Pat for sharing your field trip with friends.

Birthday Lunch with Nancy, Joe, Anna & Judy – Aug 27th

Nancy invited me to the opening of a new restaurant, Art of Pure Food (on Memorial near Kirwood) to celebrate my birthday along with our friend Joe who was also celebrating his birthday. It was an unusual experience as the restaurant was not quite ready for guests (despite the fact it was their 'soft' opening) and Nancy & Joe (both of whom regularly give raw food demonstrations) jumped to the rescue and helped Elisabeth and her mum (owners) in the kitchen – amazing eh! Anyway all worked out and although we had a lengthy wait for food we did get fed and had lots of bonding time together while we waited! I’m sure the only way forward with this restaurant is up so we wish them the best……..

Purple’s Breakfast – Aug 28th

Training is underway for my 3rd marathon in January and once again we are both coaches with Houston Fit’s Purple Group (the walkers). Last Saturday the ‘purples’ gathered after training for breakfast where another coach Richard who is 72, yes 72, talked about how he got into marathon walking at 67 and how it has changed his and his wife’s life and that it has also motivated both their kids to get up off the couch as well. It was a great morning of building on the friendships we have in our walking community – Purple’s Rock!!

Oxfam Canada 2010 & Niagara Falls with Fiona & Paul

2010-08-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

What an incredible and most memorable week in Canada - July 2010.

Firstly another Oxfam 100km Trailwalker event for John - this time starting in the lakeside town of Barrie about an hour's drive north of Toronto. Can you believe that this team, called Global Ninjas, has amassed 35 events between them and have an average age of 57 years (not bad for old farts eh!) John Kirk (from Adelaide), Elisabeth (a French woman who lives and works in New York City), Robert (CEO of Oxfam Canada doing his 1st ever event) and John made up the team and they crossed the line in 11th postion from 120 teams in 25 hours and have already raised nearly $6,000 towards a super cause - what a team!

The Start..............................................The Finish

It was just great to be part of another quest in another country, meeting new friends and seeing our old friends John & Denise Kirk from Adelaide - John & John had walked two previous Trailwalkers together. The support team consisted of myself, Denise, Robert's wife Richie and their young friend Gordon. It was great to have a couple of Canadians with us - they were really supportive and encouraging and fun.

Would you believe we have created interest in the Oxfam Trailwalker event here in Houston! There are quite a few people who are interested in attempting it next year and we are holding an information night soon to explain what is involved in getting a team and support team together, training, costs etc. etc. so we could possibly be back in Toronto next year for another one - although John K & Elisabeth did mention walking the event in France or Belgium or Japan or Ireland next year - mmmmm we could definitely be interested! We were told that the event is destined to come to the US, starting in Boston in a couple of years.

As if the walk wasn't memorable enough, our trip to Niagara Falls was the icing on the cake. Our hotel room actually looked out over both the Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls - we really didn't need to leave the room (but we did of course!)

We crossed the border into the US to pick up John's sister Fiona and hubby Paul who were holidaying in NYC - they flew to Buffalo for the day to spend time with us and see the sights. We spent a most relaxing day together catching up on almost 4 years of conversation as we viewed the magnificent Falls.

We ventured out on the 'moist' Maid of the Mist boat which brought us almost directly under the falls and hence the blue rain covers to offer some protection. It was fun, it was memorable and no surprises a place we will return to one day....

Can you spot Paul??

July 4th & Opening Walking Season & Cheryl's Birthday

2010-08-04T14:58:00.001-07:00

July 4th - once again we broke out the red, white & blue and headed to the roof of our apartment complex and celebrated the day with friends while watching the incredible fireworks that lit the sky up around us. Just love soaking up all the passion and patriotism exuded by everyone here.

Opening of 2010 Walking Season - speaking of passion, here are another group of people that love life - enjoying fresh air, exercise, like-minded people and lots of smiling faces (at the beginning of each session anyway!) Another year o f achieving marathon and half marathon goals has begun andI look forward to acquiring some more bling (so shallow I know!!)

Cheryl's Birthday - I enjoyed celebrating Cheryl's 55th bithday - unfortunately John was working in Arkansas and missed out. It was a great night with lots and lots of food, fun and friends. Cheryl is one of our Houston Fit walking buddies (head coach last year and many years before that).

Jesse Loftus Cloke.........

2010-06-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

Jesse is now 4 months old and absolutely gorgeous - of course!

Movies, Blueberry picking......

2010-06-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

This week saw John working in Trinidad while I was enjoying time out at the movies -

Tuesday night - Judy, Mickey & I saw Ondine - The story of an Irish fisherman who discovers a woman in his fishing net who he believes to be a mermaid with the punchline "the truth is not what you know. It's what you believe". Mickey & I really enjoyed the movie however Judy was a little disappointed - she was expecting a real Irish fairytale.

Thursday night - Judy, Mickey & I saw Solitary Man with an amazing cast including Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon, Danny DeVito & Mary Louise Parker - however it certainly wasn't an amazing movie - in fact we all thought about leaving early although we did stick it out until the end.

On Wednesday Pat, Beth, Chicky and I went blueberry picking. Somehow we endured the heat and had fun picking delicious juicy blueberries which are now in my freezer for eating whenever I get the urge......

Another weekend of fun…..

2010-06-14T07:37:00.000-07:00

Friday 11^th June 10

Enjoyed lunch with the girls celebrating Anna’s birthday. Anna & Bill left on Saturday for a week relaxing in Puerto Rico followed by a week enjoying the British Virgin Islands sailing in a flotilla of 5 yachts – how wonderful and what an amazing vacation! Really looking forward to the stories and the photos.

Saturday 12th

Started the day at 6am walking 8 miles with Houston Fit – enjoyable but extremely hot and humid – don’t we just love Houston’s summer!!!!!

Lunch at Field of Greens with Melissa and Lucy – such a productive afternoon working on a project together – it was 5pm before we all actually noticed the time! Melissa is visiting from up near Seattle so it was great to spend some time with her.

Sunday 13th

Sip & See

Enjoyed sharing some time with Candace’s family and friends at a “Sip & See” to meet 3 week old Townes Bartholomew Treanor – son no. 2 for Alexis & Brendon and little brother for Cash. He is so gorgeous with lots of black hair (compared to little Jesse ayway who has signs of being blonde…)

Lunch at Eunice & Kirk’s

Wow what can I say! Their house just blew us away – it is amazing – so light, so colorful, so perfect! If we ever need an interior designer we sure know where to go……

And the backyard – double wow! A beautiful garden and fabulous pool – so much detail and so much to look at – you certainly wouldn’t get bored sitting in their yard day after day after day. Certainly no need for a vacation when you can just ‘holiday’ at home (if you were lucky enough to live there of course!)

Anyway apart from soaking in the stunning surroundings, we also enjoyed the most delicious lunch. Eunice had researched raw food and even made a visit to local Houstonian and raw food guru Pat Greer – so needless to say we were presented with an abundant gourmet feast.

Eunice & Kirk are definitely two very special people and we just love being in their company and sharing an afternoon with them was an absolute delight. (just wish we had taken some photos to post here!)

We are sailing, we are sailing.........

2010-06-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

Sat June 5th 10

Bill & Anna invited us for a day of sailing on their yacht ' Sea Zombies' which is moored in Kemah, south of Houston. Jackie & Chris also joined us and we had a wonderful afternoon on the water after lunching at The Lighthouse on the boardwalk. We did have little rough patch where I was on one side of the boat practically touching the water and Anna & Jackie were on the other side practically touching the clouds - a little scary although I constantly reminded myself that Anna promised the boat could not tip over. Of course when the steering failed my confidence sank (which of course is better than the boat sinking) and I wished I was on the Queen Mary instead of a 37ft yacht. Captain Bill had everyting under control of course, fixed the problem and in a very short time we were back on course...

It was a particularly hot day (high 90's with high humidity) and John and I had walked 8 miles really early that morning with Houston Fit so after a day of sailing we were exhausted and hit the bed early feeling tired but happy after an exhilarating day - thanks Bill & Anna.