More This and That!

Sometimes it's hard to think of fun titles for these posts so I revert to "this 'n that" or "mishmash".

The countdown is on for the 6 ladies going to Italy to cook (wink, wink).  Since I'm the only one who knows everyone, last week Mardelle hosted a little meet and greet coffee and 5 of us were there - Fran's in Arizona right now.  Being the ultimate cheapskate I  (and Kathy) made little "sag bags" with the logo and the name filled with cheap but useful things - small emery board, bright socks, a little notebook, lip balm, mints, gum - no wine - bag too small.  LOFT = Ladies of Fun and Travel - we made that up.

 The group - we really hit it off and I think from the oldest to the youngest is around 20 years.  Knock on wood we are all fit an healthy.

 How it started:  A little over a year ago I was in Phoenix and spent the day with my  good old friend, Fran, who has lived in WA for many years but we manage to see each other pretty often.  We had lunch at a Polish restaurant in Phoenix (my find) and they were promoting a cooking trip to Poland.  Fran:  "I'd love to go on a cooking trip".   Dee:  "Really, I've been wanting to do that for a long time".  Not much later the two of us were signed up for an Italian cooking trip (hmmm.....why not Polish:)) and pretty soon there were 6.  Fran talked me into riding a horse which I hadn't done since I was in high school.

 We are going to Australia and New Zealand next fall and signed up for the "optional" hot air balloon ride - woohoo!  I have decided against sky diving because I don't want to break a hip, leg, shoulder or anything else that might impact my travels.  But I figure with a hot air balloon ride you either burn up or crash and it could be quick so no problem.  This should be the view:

 A couple days after returning from Italy we head to Muskogee OK for Ross' 55 year class reunion.  I'll be anxious to meet up with the Okie Boys again:)

 Which gets me to remember the many previous trips.  This is 2007 - Alex was not quite 2 and Grandpa Pete was 98 years old.  Alex couldn't say Dorothy (Ross' mom) so he just called her Grandma Pete for the rest of her life - she died about a year later - we still call her that.  Alex has his mouth full of chocolate from Pete - his first taste of chocolate and he did like it - a lot!!!
Four generations of Jones men:

 She did not get to meet Lucy because Lucy was born in March 2008 and Dorothy died in May 2008 but she had a ton of pictures on the wall by her chair in the family room.  How sweet is that?

Spring is around the corner and we will be seeing granddaughter Rooke in California for Easter - fun abounds!