What I love! | Peaches Prattlings

{April 22, 2015} Rain, rain go away…

You have to make the best of a bad situation.

I promise, I’m not going to give you a bunch of sayings like “when life gives you lemons…”

so, when you’re at the beach or on an island resort and you wake up and the sun is not shining and the sky is foggy and very grey and you can see the storm clouds roll in, what do you do? Pout because you can’t go to pool or the beach?

Nope, you change direction and plans and make it a new exciting day. First,
you watch the storm roll in and marvel at the wonder of Mother Nature, the lightening, the thunder, the rain going sideways.

Next you check the weather to see what the storm is doing and you see things that might make you nervous.

Next, you make other plans in the assumption that the pool or beach may not happen and you have a great time!

Eventually the rain stops, you go outside and enjoy your new adventure!

{April 19, 2015} Ah…The wonder of playing in the water

I don’t know about you, but I love water, just about everything to do with water.

Now, when it comes to water playgrounds and water features and slides, my nieces are champs at them! They absolutely la la la love playing in the water, try getting them out of a fun bath time!

But put them in a kids pool with a water feature and slide and they are in heaven! They know where they are going, what they want to do and are so excited after they try something new and love it. At first, they are trepidatious, but once they do it, they know it and want to do it over and over and over and over and sometimes you are required to go with them and try it and some times, you just have to watch so they can show you how awesome they are at it!

Today, we went on a rapid river tube ride that I have been on many times and it’s not too rough, so we thought the girls could go with us. PSM and I got in one double tube and GES and EJS got into another and away we went. We, of course, had a blast and EJS, who we were concerned about, LOVED it! “Again! Again!” Should we see if ACS and MGS want to do this? We came around the bend and who did we see? ACS and MGS getting into a tube!

Did they have fun? You bet your bippy! Just before the rapids, MGS got into my tube and the boys went on their own and she had the best time! So good that when we got to the end…”Again! Again!” And again we went!

Those girls have so much fun and it’s such a fabulous thing to see and watch and experience and enjoy and I am so privileged that I get to share the experience with them!

{April 18, 2015} When people get loopy…

The jokes keep coming and coming and coming and quite possibly, they may get worse, but do you care? No! And why not? Because you encourage them and participate!

Tonight, the family was at a seafood restaurant we had conch fritters and PSM had grilled conch. All of a sudden dad says something using the word conch, then ACS says something and it goes downhill from there.

“I used to play a video game, Donkey Conch”

“Truth or Conchequences”

“There was that movie about the big ape, King Conch”

I am now sitting here realizing I can’t remember a single other conch parody and we were going on for a long time. I have to admit, that while there were a few that were totally dorky and a stretch, the majority of them were conghtagious! [see…a stretch!]

So, help me out, give me a few new ones!

{April 17, 2015} A very happy JJ am I!!!

I just got back to Boston today and got the BEST surprise!

I was going through my mail and there was a padded envelope addressed to JJ from LB and BL, my fabulous, wonderful granddaughters!

I opened the envelope and there was an Easter card hand made by the girls. They made flowers and chicks with their hands and feet, isn’t it the most wonderful thing ever?!

If I tell you that I LA LA LA LOVE hand made gifts, would you believe me? I have pictures that EJS and MGS have drawn for me and from Miss A, and my friend, CWB’s daughter S makes me a picture for my birthday each year, I feel so very special and fortunate that I receive these amazing gifts.

You know this is getting framed!

Thank you LB and BL, I LA LA LA LOVE it! You made my day! JJ is sending you lots of love!

{April 16, 2015} Lip Sync Battle…LOVE IT!

I have found a new guilty pleasure and it’s name is LSB, Lip Sync Battle.

Not saying that I am going to DVR it or seek it out, but if I find it while I’m flipping channels, I’m definitely going to watch or maybe I’m going to look for it on Netflix or Hulu or YouTube. This is not an original idea, there have been lips sync contests for years, but this is just hitting at the right time.

The show is hosted by LL Cool J and has different celebrities competing against each other. I had heard about it and thought, yeah, ok, whatever, but someone posted the battle between Jimmy Fallon and The Rock and I was hooked, there is nothing like seeing Dwayne Johnson, 6’5, built massive dude lip syncing to Taylor Swift! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn3tUOJ9yv4

After The Rock did Stayin’ Alive by the BeeGees in full Saturday Night Fever style and flair, LL Cool J asked The Rock, “Were those moves natural? Were they a gift?” his answer was “g-d delivered and I signed”!

You tell me, don’t they look like they’re having fun!

How can you beat that?

Enjoy! I am!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip_Sync_Battle

{April 15, 2015} Good customer service…makes all the difference

It really does. If you have a bad customer service experience, it can ruin the entire experience.

I know I’ve talked to you about good and bad customer service and I know you’ve heard me say “If you don’t like your job, get another one, it’s not my fault you don’t like your job, please don’t take it out on me”.

I have been places where the food has been fabulous, but the service was terrible, so I don’t go back. On the other hand, so-so food and good services, I would go back to the restaurant to give it another try to see if it might change my mind.

This is not limited to restaurants, I know we all experience good and bad customer service everywhere and have dealt with it in so many different areas. I have even asked if I offended the customer service representative, that sometimes changes the attitude. If I am about to get irate with someone, I tell them before I start that it’s not them, it’s the company, that helps.

Tonight was a great example. I went back to a restaurant for a third time because of the server. Papaya is a nice Asian fusion restaurant in Buffalo, http://papayarestaurant.biz/. The food is good, but the service last night and tonight, the best. Chris was our waiter when I was there last week with two co-workers. When I went back tonight, I asked for Chris and she was working and she remembered me, my eating concerns and was fabulous with suggestions and remembered how I like my water and tea.

It’s the little touches like that that go a really long way. I would recommend the restaurant, for the food, but more for the service. When you have someone who goes the extra step, it’s makes a difference, it’s something I strived for when I waited tables and it made a difference there too, people would come back to sit in my section time after time and my tips reflected it and the bottom line is, it helps the bottom line.

Be nice to people, as they say ‘you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar’.

There, I’m done, stepping down from the soap box.

{April 13, 2015} A comedy of errors to a wonderful result!

On way to a happy outcome and needless to say I’m happy.

I have been wanting to do Global Entry for quite some time now but I always got stopped in the process of completing the application. Two Sundays ago I decided to complete the application, I’m not sure which took longer Global Entry or eHarmony! So many questions!

I wish I’d had Global Entry when I was coming back from Ireland, it would have saved me a lot of time, but you live and learn. I’ve heard or stories about how long it takes to get an appointment, but I completed the application on sunday and received notification that my application was accepted on Wednesday!

I looked for places to set up the interview and they had an opening or several openings this morning in the Atlanta Airport. I set my appointment time for this morning at 6:30 a.m. EST.

I got up at 5.m., after falling asleep at 4 a.m. I left the house at 5:30 I was on the road by 5:33 which is exactly what I wanted. I even got to say goodbye to SDL.

I headed to the airport, got gas, then returned the car. My appointment was for 6:30, I got on the shuttle for the International terminal at 6:25…uh oh…I got to the terminal, got confused on where I needed to go, took everything through security, got stopped because of my sock change purse. What, doesn’t everyone keep their money in a sock?

I finally got to where I needed to go, it was about 6:50, they still took me! I had heard stories that it was hard and the interview took a long time, nope. I was in there probably about 6 minutes longer than was necessary, but Officer Gibbs and I were having a great laugh.

Approved! Wahoo!

What does Global Entry mean to me…I can skip customs by scanning my passport at one of the kiosks you see at the airport. I get TSA pre-check, but I already had that, I also get Nexus, which gets me in and out of Canada and in a few days, I’ll have the card that will help me at border stops in Canada and Mexico! Wa…hoo!

So now, I don’t have to wait in those long lines at customs when traveling, I am so excited! Where should we go first?

http://www.cbp.gov/global-entry/about

{April 12, 2015} What a weekend!

Oh friends, I had the best weekend ever!

You don’t know how much I would love to share pictures with you, but as you know, I value my privacy as well as of my friends and family, but if we’re friends on FaceBook, you can see them, if not, I know my joy comes through my posts!

So, sit back, grab a cup o’ something to keep you awake and away we go!

This weekend I came to Atlanta for a visit, but especially to see my fabulous niece, Miss A for her FIFTH birthday and I also got to see another fabulous niece, KK for her FIFTEENTH birthday!

Now, I did not get to see everyone on my list, but I stayed busier than a one armed paper hanger [I’m in the South, please say that with a twang!]. I also realized that I am coming back about every three months, so if I didn’t get to see someone, I will see them next time! Here we go!

I arrive Thursday night and headed to SDL’s house, I didn’t think I’d get to see Miss A on her big day, but I was lucky, they had just gotten home from the birthday dinner with CKM, I was bummed to miss it, but I know they had a great time. I was just in time to see her having a good time splashing in the bathtub, caught up with SDL while she was splashing, then after she got dressed, I got to do her hair, help her brush her teeth and then give a million kisses good night, sigh.

In the morning, got up before the alarm, was there to see Miss A before she left for school and then I left to have my taxes done. I thought my appointment was at 10, all of a sudden 8:50, my reminder went off, what?! Luckily, I was only about 15-20 minutes away! It still took about 2.5 hours! For every state I work in, I have a W2, then the house was a rental for part of the year, not an easy task, thank goodness for Ted Hagerstrom at the Townsend Tax Service! TS introduced me to them a few years ago, she uses them and her parents have been using them for years! They’ve been in business over 62 years, I think they might know what they’re doing! http://www.townsendtax.com/

After that, I headed to Marietta to meet DL, CC and JC for lunch at a great Thai Restaurant, http://www.thairedelephant.com/, the service was ok, food was good, that’s what counts, right? Great to catch up! Then I headed back to SDL’s house, we ran a few errands, then loaded up, to pick up Miss A from school and out for the next birthday dinner! The girl knows how to celebrate! Then it was home for bath, brushing teeth and bed! Friday was done!

Saturday came way too early! 5:45am to be exact, why? Oh, why not…I tried to go back to sleep, no dice, so I lounged, until I heard everyone stirring, had a little matzoh with peanut butter and strawberry jam, because…why not, yum! Then it was get dressed and help Miss A get dressed, teeth brushed and ready for her hippothereapy, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippotherapy. She loves it and is fantastic at it! She has improved by leaps and bounds and as you know, ever the fashonista, has a helmet that says DIVA and diamonds!

After therapy, it was a few stops for me on the way home, lunch for Miss A while SDL went to buy a new lawn mower, shiny new red one! I hung with Miss A while SDL did her thing, then we snuggled while she napped, then SDL and I shared a piece of red velvet cake, one of the many cakes that Miss A had to enjoy during her birthday month! Then it was off to dinner with TS at CPK, California Pizza Kitchen, http://www.cpk.com/. Dinner was great, I had a fabulous grilled veggie salad [the veggies were grilled and served warm over cool crisp lettuce, Y U M!] the company better, it was great to catch up all together.

SDL and Miss A headed home while I went to TS to help her with a project, we had a great time and got caught up, which I love. Back to SDL’s by 11:30, talk to you and pass out!

That was just Saturday! Moving on to Sunday, you tired yet?

Sunday morning woke before the alarm, some quality catch up for a bit, discussing some of the finer points of Dr Seuss’ work. Then it was time to get dressed and head to Kennesaw to see KAB and Baby A! I don’t know what I’m going to call him when he’s 15, might be a bit awkward! We had such a good time, and KAB was awesome enough to meet me at Waffle House!!! When she asked where I wanted to go, IHop or Waffle House, I actually said “Can we go to Waffle House? Can we? Please? can we?” I love Waffle House and there are none in the Northeast so I try to go at least once a trip!

I got there and Baby A was almost as excited to see me as I was to see him and his mommy! Almost immediately he raised his arms and said “down”, loved it! We spent breakfast catching up, playing with Baby A, down, up, down, up, throw this, throw that, catch me, chase me! I really enjoy spending time with KAB, we talk about so much stuff and I’m glad she’s back in Georgia, because I now get to see her almost every time I come for a visit! I can’t believe he is going to be two on June 1st, I remember meeting him when he was a few hours old and now look at him! Happy JJ am I!

After breakfast, I headed back towards downtown to meet CKM for some serious pampering…pedis were on the menu and ahhhh…so wonderful! I recommend them for everyone! And since we were the first ones there when they opened the doors, we didn’t have to wait and now my toes are neat and trim and all sparkly turquois, perfect for the beach!

Since we didn’t finish catch up during the pedis, we always have so much to talk about! We moved on to The Cook’s Warehouse, https://www.cookswarehouse.com/, the location in Brookhaven is closing so everything is up to 45 percent off! More Christmas and Chanukah shopping [and some birthdays too] done! I got a ton of stuff and saved a bunch! I can’t wait for Baby A to get his presents!

After a serious shopping spree we needed refreshments, so off to Olive Bistro we went for some light middle eastern tapas, yum! Then walking a little, found some snack to take back to Buffalo and then it was time to part company, this of course, took us about 20 minutes, as it always has. I so love catching up with friends, especially when it’s like no time has passed!

Next stop…LK’s house! The family is actually in town! I didn’t think I’d get to see them, the best part, total coincidence…we texted each other and then I went out there because my oldest, fabulous niece, KK’s FIFTEENTH birthday is tomorrow and tonight was the birthday dinner and cake made by her two younger sisters! It was chocolate with vanilla icing and lots of sprinkles! The frosting was delicious!

I so love spending time with the family! We caught up, laughed, goofed around, played with the two guinea pigs and three dogs, had a great dinner, the youngest, K made guacamole, yum! and she and mom made home made salsa, what a treat for me! I walk in that house and it’s like we just saw each other last week and I always feel like part of the family, never skipping a beat!

That is the best part about my friends, they really aren’t just friends, they are family and when I send emails letting people know I’m coming to town, I never say “Dear friends” it’s always “Hello family” and it is. I value and treasure each and every one of them. I hope they know and feel it, because it’s so important to me! Thank you for loving and liking me for who I am and wanting to spend time with me! I can’t wait to see you and everyone else next time!

Then it was back to SDL’s to do some laundry, talk to you and get some sleep, the alarm is going off early! I hope you’re not too tired after reading this! And if your weekend was at least half as good as mine, I think that is stupendous!

I am going to crash now, off to Buffalo I shuffle in a few hours!

{April 10, 2015} There is a Five Year Old among us!

Miss A is a bonafide FIVE year old!

Where did the time go? She was 9 months old when SDL brought her home, I got to meet her right off the plane, with her Momom and Popop, what an amazing time that was! I still remember the day SDL sent me a picture, “Hey Auntie G, want to see a picture of your niece?” I about fell on the floor and I was tearing up, what a doll baby! Nothing has changed!

I am in Atlanta this weekend because it’s Miss A’s birthday. I made a promise, like I did to MGS and EJS, that no matter what, I would be here for her birthday, either on her birthday or the birthday weekend, depending on work, but I’ll be here and yesterday I flew in and didn’t know I was going to get to see her before she went to bed and we hung out until almost midnight! What a party animal she is!

She is a fabulous, precocious, amazing five year old and every time I see her, I am amazed by something new! I love our one-on-one times, just SDL, Miss A and me, there is nothing like it! Tonight, we went to dinner and when we got home, I got to do bath time, brushing her teeth and getting her dressed for night night, this is a big deal!

Every time I see her, she has learned something new, is doing something else on her own or better than the last time, she just amazes me, did I already tell you that?

So, here I am, for the birthday weekend and I am loving every minute of it! I can’t wait to see what year number five holds!

This video cracks me up and you will be seeing it again in a few weeks when someone else turns five!

Happy Birthday Miss A! I love you very much! Auntie G XOXO

{April 7, 2015} Happy Birthday LaLa

Today is LaLa’s birthday.

As you know [or not know because you’re new to my site], LaLa is my dad’s main squeeze and today is her birthday. She and my dad have been dating for almost ten years and shortly after they starting dating, she quickly became a part of our family. A very important part, not only as a partner for my dad, but a grandmother to my nieces, EJS and MGS, and that means a great deal to me and my family.

When we met LaLa, she had two granddaughters, B&A, the next year, GES had EJS, three years later she had MGS, bringing the number to four, that’s a lot of girls! Then her son, MD met TBD and they had their first son, B and a few months ago, their second son C, in case you weren’t keeping up, that’s six grandchildren, how lucky is she! All those loves to spend time with and spoil.

Her relationship is special with each one. She loves to send post cards to each grandchild, with MGS, she loves to play mani-pedi, with EJS, she loved to do LaLa’s makeup when she was younger. She loves to cook and bake with the children, get on the floor and play, she has a great deal of energy and doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon.

You know how sometimes you’re not sure what to buy for someone? Well, with LaLa, it’s easy…LaLa is ga-ga about Vera Bradley.

We have bought her different things over the years that she has loved, but a sure bet is anything Vera Bradley, you can’t go wrong with anything from her collection. They come out with new patterns every few months, then retire things. Whenever we are out and find stuff we think she would like, we buy it, how could we not! Especially if it’s a retired pattern, you can’t go wrong! I like the fact that she doesn’t care [or at least doesn’t say she cares] about what the pattern is, she loves it.

This year, we gave her a pair of pajamas and a new purse, it was a hit! Looking forward to the fashion show next time we’re together!

Now, I know LaLa is not the only Vera Bradley fan out there, I have many friends who are. But…have you ever seen a Vera Bradley cake? I know you won’t be surprised, but check out the link for some great pictures!

In conclusion…Happy Birthday LaLa! We hope today was as great a day as you are! We love you!

https://www.google.com/search?q=happy+birthday+images&biw=1440&bih=946&tbm=isch&imgil=hroVBbh1Q9lpEM%253A%253BfbBuu5ApMVqzeM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.backyardgalahcam.com.au%25252Fviewtopic.php%25253Ft%2525253D1365&source=iu&pf=m&fir=hroVBbh1Q9lpEM%253A%252CfbBuu5ApMVqzeM%252C_&usg=__vjOj6AI-M3Wo7KpUu1KY7-PkxzU%3D&ved=0CDUQyjc&ei=RZokVafbEKO1sAShwYLoDw#tbm=isch&q=vera+bradley+happy+birthday+images&imgrc=cPiClYoOd8oOqM%253A%3BwHJ5EJvm32v87M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-1kdcztCvjUo%252FUoQ0gj9GyWI%252FAAAAAAAAB9Q%252FibQiz3c3aRs%252Fs1600%252FHBD-VO.gif%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Finthelandofvera.blogspot.com%252F2013%252F11%252Fhappy-birthday-veraobsessed.html%3B1024%3B1024

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