Another year...where does the time go? Well, let's see...
January....Jim and I celebrated the New Year of 2000 here in Florida. Just the two of us. A quiet evening at home...in the rental we had at the time...got up the next day and I went to work!! LOL But what fun wishing all of our new friend's here a Happy New Year!!! The rest of the month we spent searching for a place to buy here. It had only been weeks since we had decided to live here in Florida for the rest of our lives!! A decision we have not regretted!!
On January 22, we flew my mom down for a week. Had a wonderful visit, took her siteseeing and to a few of our favorite places to eat. We had to work a few days while she was here but it sure was nice to come home to "mom's" home cooking and coffee waiting for us!! The only thing I regret during her stay.....it was the coldest week since we had arrived!! LOL All in all she had a good time and she would like to come back.
February....Ahhhh Valentine's Day, a day for people in love. And here we have the big race, "Daytona 500". People come from all over to see this. We on the other hand met some of these folks at the diner. They are here to relax and "party", and I might add they do a very good job at both!!! Our search for a new home was well under way. We had looked at so many places I can't even remember how many. This was also the month when my best friend of almost 20 years was ask by us if she wanted to relocate to Florida. Her name, "Marla". At the time she was living in Wisconsin, and boy was it cold!!! Her answer of course was "YES", and on February 6th she arrived. Had a job within two days and she is still with us. She is like the sister I never had!!
March....We had pretty much settled in to a routine by this time, but our search continued for a home. Then on March 23rd we found the one we wanted. It was one we had looked at before. Not sure what happened, but I woke up that morning and told Jim that I wanted to go back and look one more time. We called the realator and went that afternoon. I sat on the couch, it was completely furnished, right down to the bedding, all you needed to move in was your clothes and a toothbrush!! Jim looked at all the "man things", while I stayed inside. Then it was like a "light" came on. THIS is where I wanted to be!!! Eight days later we signed the closing papers, and it was "OURS"!!!! It all happened so fast, there are times when even I don't believe we are really here.We got the key March 31st, at ten that morning and started moving in!!! "Hey" why waste time!! Marla and I cleaned, didn't need much but did it anyway. Jim fixed a few odds and ends and we were ready to move in, WHEN....
April...Another month appeared!!! You see, we were going to NY to get the rest of our belongings that were in storage. So, we never even spent a night in our new home. Marla stayed here in the rental and kept "Brandi", our dog, while we went up north. On the way we were stopping in Binghamton,NY to reunite with some of the most awesome people in our lives!!! "Grannies"!!! While there we were fortunate enough to meet with a few new friend's too......thus we became the "Binghamton Beauties"!!
Ater a wonderful weekend with them we headed for Mayville. Leaving there this time was not going to be an easy task. We stayed with our daughter Stephanie and the grands while we made arrangements to ship our Harley to Florida and to pack the van with the rest of our things. We were REALLY going to do this. After years of talking and planning about what we would do with the rest of our lives after Jim's retirement, here we were, saying bye to those that we loved so dearly. Knowing we will see them again....but it was very, very hard to do.
Anxious to get moved into our new home we got on the road sooner than we had planned and stopped in Ohio to see my mom and family there. Here we go again....more goodbyes!!! We had lived so close to mom for the past 10 years, so this was very hard on her, as it was for us.
Left there and headed for "home"!!! Arrived in Port Orange Monday the 17th. Marla was just as anxious as we were to pack up and get into the new place....so much so, that when we walked in the door her and Brandi had everything packed and stacked by the door, that is, what she didn't have room for in her car!!! LOL Sat and chatted awhile and headed here!!!
Slept like a baby that night!!! Woke up the next morning and had our coffee on the Florida room.....AHHHH this is the life!!! :)
May....By now we had been in our new home for almost a month. Working on the yard was the number one priority!! It had been several years since anyone had been able to care for the yard. We planted flowers, weeded, and Jim spent a lot of time with the three fruit trees we have out back. It was beginning to look like "home"!! Flowers are for Mother's Day, what better way to spend this month!!
June....It was beginning to get warmer, just one of the reasons we were here. Beaches were full of families, school was out too. But no matter how many people there were, there was always a place to sit and relax!! And we did!!! We celebrate Father's Day this month....mine has been gone for many years, but never to be forgotten!!!
July....Had our first guest this month. Marla's youngest daughter, Jamie came for a week. She didn't want to leave either!! Had fun with her, she is like one of my own!!! Her mom had to work some while she was here, so I had to go to the beach with her. Like that was a problem!! haha
Not a lot of people here this time of year, they say it is too "hot"!! Not us..Jim played a lot of golf, it is cheaper this time of year too. Golf courses run specials to get more of the locals to play.
We had an addition put on the Florida room, so we had plenty things to keep us occupied!!
August....The end of summer was coming fast. We were in the planning stages for a three week vacation in the month of September. So we spent August just hanging out and trying to save money!!! Also celebrated Jim's birthday and his one year anniversay on retiring!! September....FINALLY the month we had talked about for over a year was here!! We worked Labor Day weekend, what else would you do? :) We were FIRST, going to Kansas City, Kansas to see our two sons, Gene and Tony!!! It had been over a year since we last saw them, so we were very excited!! We left on Tuesday, Septemer 5th. Spent two nights on the road. Arrived there Thursday around noon. What a great feeling to be with the boys!! No matter how old they get, they are always happy to see us!! They were working a lot so the time we had was precious and short!! :( But we enjoyed every second. Jim and the boys golfed a few days and had a wonderful time!! Those kids love Jim more than words can express!! I spent sometime with our soon-to-be daughter-in-law and her two sons. Good kids too!! Then on Tuesday the 12th we said our goodbyes!! Left there at noon and headed to Branson, Missouri!!! Why were we so excited to get there??? Take a look...BRANSON Saying our "byes" till we meet again in Branson was hard to do, but we were now on our way to Alabama. There we stayed with a guy Jim had worked with for many years and his wife. Had a wonderful time visiting with them as we always had in the past! They have a beautiful home on top of a mountain, the view is spectacular!! Sitting on the front porch, rocking and talking is one of the best times ever when we are there. Time to go back to Florida....our "new" home!! October....Another month! We started to plan for the upcoming holidays. I have always loved Halloween. Watching the little faces, when you can see them!! :) Spent time in the yard decorating and planting more flowers of course. Didn't have many trick or treaters that night, but we sure had candy!!! November....It should be getting cold here, but not yet!! The weather up north began to get aweful very early, and I "really" did feel bad!! But we had to turn the heat on a few times.:( Our first Thanksgiving in our new home. Just had to fix a big meal with all the trimmings, and I did!! Our boss and his girlfriend spent the day with us, what a great time we had!! They brought us a beautiful pointsetta surrounded with ivy, and it is still thriving!! And they brought us a pineapple. "So what"?, you say. It was the first off of their own tree!!! It was the sweetest we had ever eaten!! We were also planning a trip to Sarasota to reunite with one of the Grannie's we love so dearly!! Judy, (jazzygma). We went over the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and spent two days. Another "Grannie" gave us use of her place while we were there. Arlene (burch4), we want to thank you so very much!!! Judy is such a grand hostess!! We played on WebTv for a very long time!! LOL But had a ball with her new scanner too!! She showed us some sites and took us to some very good eating places. We are looking forward to seeing her again soon!! We were also looking forward to the New Year, even tho Christmas hadn't arrived. You see "another" Grannie and her hubby were making plans to be in our area for the winter!!! Barb(grannybk) and George!! December....Here we are, the last month of a very good year!!! Everyone I knew ask the same question,"how can you possibly get into the Christmas spirit without snow"? All I had to do was look around...decorations galore!!! Since we do not have the bad weather here, everyone really gets into the spirit!!! We bought a new tree and it was beautiful!!! Had an awesome Christmas too!! We were just like kids opening our gifts. But remembering the real meaning of this day always brings me so many childhood memories, that I will never forget!! Well folks, that is pretty much our year of 2000. I am sure there are things I have forgotten, but since this is my page I can add too it later!! :) Let's all hope and pray that 2001 will be better yet for everyone!!!!!
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