boom - boom out go the lights.....

Ah yes...just another ferocious afternoon thunderstorm in "sunny" Florida.  There were some real window rattling booms today. The lightning was super intense and had us scampering around the house unplugging vital equipment such as the computer, phones, printers, tv's, etc. We're a bit gun shy since getting zapped by a lightning hit last year which took our tv's, modem, intercoms and phones. Naturally our deductible was about the same as the damages - oh well.
 We just added some new phones a few weeks ago because we were using some backups we had but they needed replacing. My SIL bought my hubby a Vtech cordless for the garage for his b'day. We liked it and so I popped over to the CSN online store and found the same Vtech cordless set to complete the set for the house.
Happily we didn't get hit by lightning today but we did lose power for several hours. Luckily the buckets of rain had cooled things off considerably because without the A/C running it could have been very hot. Yucko.
I was working on a clients quilt when the weather went bad. I always unplug my machine during lightning storms.

Turns out a branch came down in the neighbors yard across the street and started on fire. He showed us the pic. Anyway....the power company showed up, cut away some branches and they had it back on in time to make dinner....drats, if it hadn't come on we would have had to go out LOL

Speaking of boom boom....I heard the double sonic boom when the space shuttle came in for it's final landing the other morning. A sad day indeed. We went to a shuttle launch years ago and it is an amazing thing to see in person. I hope that private enterprise will pick up where NASA left off and that the employees will all find work and the U.S. shuttles will orbit again.

Stay cool.......

literally.... over the rainbow

Yes we were over a rainbow!

On our way back from our Wisconsin visit to see family and friends we flew over a rainbow! Our very nice flight attendant came over and brought it to our attention and it was so beautiful. I have never been right over a rainbow before. Anyway, were' back home and had a fabulous visit.
It was my parents 6oth anniversary - yes 60th! They are an amazing couple and truly an inspiration.
They have known each other since grade school and he teases about how he used to pull her pigtails in class. They had a fantastic celebration party and we were so happy to be there to celebrate with them.
The week went by all to quickly as it always does when we visit but we got a lot accomplished around their house and did a lot of visiting too.
We of course had to go to a Friday night fish fry...it's truly a Wisconsin tradition and when you find a good fish fry- oh my! We went to a family style fish fry with a group friends and family and it was all you can eat. They just keep bringing platters of fish and I confess, I didn't keep count, I just kept eating. It's not a batter fried fish, it's lightly breaded and oh so good.
It was so wonderful to see our families other than on facebook and spend some much needed quality time with them. Now comes the bad part....we forgot our camera! arghhhhh- oh well you'll just have to use your imagination.

Picture this.... family dinners, lots of laughing, cows, cheese, rolling hills, fireflies (there were tons of those) rainbows, bluebirds, chipmunks (so cute), morning coffee on the deck, anniversary celebrations and toasts, blooming flower beds, pulling weeds,  and then of course the tears of departure.
I hope you have the chance to connect with your families and friends this summer....

Independence Day

Wow! It can't be July 4th already, but it must be because an increasing amount of American flags are lining the streets, there are red white and blue yummies at the bakery, firework tents have sprouted up at all the shopping centers,  mosquitoes are buzzing about, and the smell of charcoal is wafting through the air. Yikes...where has the year gone? Do you realize the Christmas is only about 5 months away? The Christmas fabrics are already on store shelves..... That's pretty scary huh?
But I digress.....
Tomorrow we will celebrate our independence and be grateful of the outcome of the war fought so many years ago in the name of freedom. We will salute our men and women in the military past and present for their bravery and allegiance to our country. I do believe that America is special, not perfect, but perfect enough that I am very proud to be an American.
Check out craftgossip or foodnetwork for some amazing looking 4th of July dessert recipes if you need some inspiration.

This is the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Have a wonderfully Happy Independence Day and celebrate like it was 1776!