Looking both ways...backward and forward !

Hello everyone...

Ah ! The Christmas season.........holiday parties and frivolity; 'tis a joyful season, indeed. We are in Longmeadow just now...at <32 degrees, Brrrrrrrrrrr ! 'Tis a land of snow and ice and glistening beauty all around us, just now. Despite the brutal cold and difficulty navigating once the temerature drops and the rain turns to sleet...we have witnessed the beauty of the ice...hanging heavily on the trees and allowing them to form into new shapes to form 'Winter's wonderland". I do miss the warm weather, 'tho the sight is truely beautiful to behold.

Now, looking"backwards" over the past month.........

We were especially blessed to have had time with Pat's two brothers and his sister this past Thanksgiving week, while still in Florida ...This happens so rarely and it was a very special time for us all. The weather was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed the days. One evening, we enjoyed time in Tequesta at "Mc Carthy's pub"...and found ourselves "on tape" for their promotion of the club. What a wonderful time, singing Irish songs together and enjoying good friends, too.

Later that week, my brother Ralph and Sherrey (Jacob) joined us in Florida for three days. We decided to share our Thanksgiving feast at the President Country Club...where we belong. Celebrating there this year, allowed us to watch the Macy's Day Parade, and go to the Beach instead of working all day in the kitchen...! The relaxation was a welcome experience for all of us and especially for them, as they seldom get to "sleep in" and just "be". It was nice to watch them as the opportunity for true relaxation appeared. We had time for early morning walks and to have coffee together while reading the paper and watching the lovely sunrises.

One day, we went to the Morikami reserve in Delray...a true paradise filled with Japanese gardens and Koi and Bonsai gardens as well as many walking paths and Reflection gardens.

This is a photographers paradise...!

Ralph and Sherrey enjoy ...

a quiet moment !!!

Japaense umbrella shades us from the hot sun !

Our last night, we celebrated our mutual birthdays...and enjoyed reliving memories and sharing thoughts as we looked at old family pictures. Items from our childhood are so very precious to us...and we, each, learm much when we take time to share. It was nice to have "time". Ahhh! Florida !

The recent week has allowed us to Celebrate the growth of Atlantic Fastener's through such hard work of all the new owners: the whole company ! It seems that each one is truely taking pride in growing the company and realizing the benefits of working as a team to reach common goals. This kind of work ethic and the stabilization it brings for the many families involved is truely what Pat was hoping would happen when he led the managment team to sell the Company to an "EOSOP". It is so nice to see this happening and working out so well.
Soon, Atlantic will have it's Christmas party and celebrate in more formal style!

Looking "forward":
Soon, it is back to Fla. for us. We'll share Christmas with my two daughters, lit'l. Gretchen and Jenny's husband. This time altogether hasn't happened for so very long...and we ALL are looking forward to some serious beach time and cards/board games and the like, together,
before Pat and I depart on our Journey abroad, Jan 16th.

We are ALMOST all ready...just one more visit for shots...and then Packing ! (SO, how DOES one pack for almost 4 months away...to cover all weather conditions and STILL leave room for precious keepsakes and gifts yet to be bought along the way??? I'll share that with you, next summer!).

Life is good for us, just now. We are so very, very grateful to have survived the past year (literally), after each of us needed spine surgery...and to be feeling so well, now. We have been truely Blessed with this, the love and support of our family and our close friends. Our Blessings are too many to count.

At this time of year, but always, we would like to wish each of you a Blessed Christmas and Holiday season, to be celebrated in whatever way you do choose. Our hope is also that you remain well throughout the winter and well into the New Year !

Merry Christmas !

Nancy and Patrick

Tag Sale for Charity. Now, we're off to Florida !

Hi everyone...

It has been a very busy month for me. After spending several days researching sites for Independantly obtained Visas to India, VietNam, and Australia, applications for 24 extra passport pages to accomodate these and all the rest of the visas needed for the cruise, and then, getting all the papers in place, I needed a break from it itall.

sooooooooo...

I took some time away from planning our big trip, do some "house cleaning" for charity. Yep....out with the "old" or new/ "unused" and in with some charitable "bucks". The sale lasted two days, and although all the "buyers" were out for a steal...and many weren't swayed by the fact that their $$$ would go to charity, I did manage to raise $450.oo for the Cancer fund. All in all.....I got rid of some "treasures"...the buyers found some "treasures" and the Cancer fund was the recipient of all the hard work. Seems like a WIN - WIN to me!

THANK YOU !!! to all who contributed to this great cause !

Ah! The weather has turned from a balmy fall into cold nights...almost frosty ones, and cool days. The wonderful thing is, that this is making for a really spectacular fall foliage season, and living in New England, this is VERY important!

...however, my little "toesies" are freee-Zing and so...

it is time to do some serious packing for our trip to Florida to get warm once again. We leave on thursday by way of an investment conference in New Orleans, a circuitous route, indeed. Only 2400 mi to New Orleans and then another 2+ days to FLA. We may get to visit with a Harvard Business School colleague of Pat's (whom he hasn't seen since graduation...what a kick !), who lives in Mississippi. (yes, I learned to spell that in grammer school...good news is I still can remember how to do it !). We'll arrive in the Sunshine state about Oct 28th (curiously, the date my father died of CANCER in 1963, hence just one of many reasons for my charity tag sale).

So....I hope all of you are well.....and enjoying a beautiful fall, as are we. Thanksgiving will be upon us before we know it...right after the "Punkin's" disappear...and I am hoping that you will all have a wonderful, warm and cozy day and lots of Turkey and gravey with family near-by.

Enjoy !

I Will write again, before long.

Nancy

VIEWING PICTURES VIA THE SHUTTERFLY LINK

HELLO EVERYONE...

Just a little message regarding the viewing of pictures on shutterfly.

I have just created a "collection" with the name of: "OTOOLE WORLD CRUISE 2008".

I HOPE to use this to make it possible for you to view pictures while we are on the cruise. I have already placed one group of pictures of the ship (which we will again be on...as well as, pictures of the Gala Buffet, from our last cruise (very much like the next ones will probably be on each segment !). This way, you can see how it works to view the pictures..

To view the pictures, after reading the journals, use the link to shutterfly LISTED on "HELPFUL WEB LINKS" in the BLOG.

HOW?...Open a new access to the internet, then, COPY & PASTE the url address, listed on the BLOG for shutterfly ACCESS, into your web browser and click on "go". It SHOULD take you to the collection of pictures at shutterfly. Then, just type in the password: CRYSTALS and then choose: slideshow...and, enjoy !

NOTE: PLEASE remember that: CRYSTALS (IS case sensitive)...MUST be in uppercase letters- TO MAKE THE PASSWORD WORK !!!
Problems, I am only an e-mail away...(find that on the BLOG, TOO ! ).

NOW ...

ENJOY VIEWING and we'll BOTH see how this works!

Nancy

GO PATRIOTS ! Life, other than planning for the trip.

Hi everyone...

Just a short note to say that I am working on our excursions, but have not gotten any of them posted yet. This is partly beacuse I have been doing other things of late...like being treated to go to Foxboro to see the PATRIOTS creme the Buffalo Bills, yesterday.

It was exciting for me as I had never been to a professional NFL game before. We started by having a tailgate...hot lunch. It was lots of fun to see what everyone around us was eating (other than the beer which was flowing !). The group next to us, were having steak and Lobster on a table, complete w cloth!
IMAGINE.....Two guys...IMPRESSIVE, TO SAY THE LEAST !

AFTER lunch, about a mile walk to the stadium. My friend wanted a gift for her grandson, so a short trip to "the proshop" was WILD. five huge ramps, and thousands of people on them and in the large pro-shop store...! Wondered if we would make the "kick-off"...(but we did !) Never saw so much merchandise being bought...probably at the level of the Master's merch tent...who knows. So many wore "game shirts" or NO shirts...and excitement was palpable.

The stadium is HUGE and only a few years, new...and we had a warm, perfect day, with a lovely breeze...and 23 row/50yard line seats for great viewing. The stadium was packed...SRO...and even in the "nose bleed" section, people were standing. AMAZING !!!

The game started with a "fly over"...then, fireworks, the usual anthem and then, the game. Each time a touchdown was scored by the PATRIOTS...the "Minutemen", all dressed in their colonial finery, & who spontaneously appeared under the goal posts, fired "shots" from their rifles in celebration, and then, fireworks errupted between the goalposts, above. Very exciting.

Although the Patriots started out slowly and were behind 7-3, they made up for it in the 2-4 qtrs....ending at 28-7 !!! So, as you can imagine, there were many shots fired and lots of fireworks.(I couldn't help but think that IF I were a Buffalo Bill, by the fourth touchdown, I would have been SICK & TIRED of hearing those D________ rifles !!!)


Anyway...just a great day with some very generous friends, and a good time had by all.

WHEN I have a chance...I'll add a picture of some of the cute cheerleaders...HOW DO they make them so slim and beautiful...WOW !

Next week, they play in Cincinnati. My brother and his family, live there...it would have been nice to view the game together...perhaps another year !

Until next post......GO PATRIOTS !
Nancy

Adding comments-HOW TO COMMENT on a BLOG post

Hello...

I just had a several questions asked of me, re: how a viewer might leave a comment next to a "post" on the blog, whether or not one needed a password to be able to post a comment, and whether or not, once posted, the comment would be public ? Sooooooo.....

As a trial, I just went to the blog and left a comment. To do so, I checked the box:"comment", then, "anonymous-viewer" and then, left a comment. Then, I previewed it, and, once satisfied, checked: "post". NOTE... ( Be SURE NOT to hit the " x " while in the process, and before you post, or your comments will be deleted ! ). NOTE that your comments will be PUBLIC !

I did NOT need a password to POST A COMMENT, and I don't believe that you will either.

Try it out and email me if there are problems.

Good luck !

Nancy

INFORMATION RE: CRYSTAL CRUISE-Crystal Serenity

Hi everyone...

Just some information re: how to reach us while we are away (Jan 15th, 2008-May 9th, 2008)

#1-Go to Crystal cruise line web site: http://www.CRYSTALCRUISES.COM

#2-Call them at Crystal Cruises and ask them to get a msg to the ship (emergencies ONLY ! ) 1-888-722-0021

#3-For fun, you may wish to go the the web site (see above) and take a tour of the ship. Note: We are in cabin 1140 Port side...(we think the best side). You can go to the Crystal Cruises web site (check the blog for address). choose "view the ship"...choose "Crystal Serenity" (our ship), and then either see live views from the bow of the ship, or, live views from the computer room. at times, we are there If you see either of us, E-mail us and we'll wave and say a cheerie "hello" to you ! (did it last cruise...VERY fun!)

#4-I shall probably be using shutterfly for the larger files of pics, but will see if I can insert a link here, now. Bear with me while I test this. IF it works, it will be some pictures of the ship (from last year) ... but, the same ship as we'll be on this coming year. So, enjoy.

If it doesn't work, I'll be emailing you a link to shutterfly instead...and only using the blog for writing.

Guess this is all.......for now. Will try inserting the link, now............

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8GatGbli5YxI

ok.......this works, but you have to highlight it, cut it and paste it into the web browser to see the pictures. So, I MAY ALSO email the active link for those of you who are not comfortable with this process.

Bye for now...happy BLOGGING !

Nancy

CRYSTAL CRUISES...INFORMATION PAGE

Hi everyone...just trying to keep ya informed re: important web sites and phone numbers, if you should choose to use them.

#1...If you want information about the cruise line we are on, go to: http://www.CRYSTALCRUISES.COM

#2...If you want to have a view from the ship, you can find it at that web site-"tour the ships" and "live views". Remember that we are on the Crystal SERENITY.
OUR CABIN IS ON THE PORT SIDE...in case that makes a difference about what you might wish to view. (we think that this is the best side).

note...At present, our cabin # is 1146. We are trying to get a cabin, just a bit nearer the middle of the ship, but, as this trip is mostly sold out on our floor, this may not be possible. We'll see and I'll update you as I know.

If you need to reach us...you could comment here, on the blog, or email me via AOL email address. You could call Crystal at 1-888-722-0021, and I am sure that they could get an emergency msg to us via their communication system.

#3...other things might interest you might be taking a tour of the ship/s...and seeing what is there...on the Crystal web site. (see tour the ship!)
I can try to send to you some pics from time to time, here on the blog...Especially for those who didn't make my slide show,however, I will have to send a link to shutterfly via email (will identify in the header), when I have more than one or two to share. The upload time (html) is just too long via the blog to upload many pics.