The Old Lucketts Store Blog: Gift Card Giveaway!

I am SO EXCITED! If you've read my previous postings, you know that my absolute FAVORITE shopping and browsing spot is the Old Lucketts Store. They are having a very generous give-away - a $100.00 gift card to their FABULOUS store! If you are local or can make it to the Leesburg, VA area in the future, head on over to their blog, via the link below, and follow the instructions to enter. This is SO COOL!!




The Old Lucketts Store Blog: Gift Card Giveaway!

Today's Smile - Sage Advice

When life gives you lemons,  find a friend whose life gave them vodka and have a party!
~Ron White

Enjoy your day! Love, Leena

Great Blog and Giveaway!

I just discovered the coolest blog called Red Shed Antiques! If you're into vintage Paris flea market finds, home and garden decor, kitchen and dining ware, jewelry, clothing, photos and ephemera, etc, you'll want to check it out. The photography and posts are so interesting and captivating! PLUS if you hurry and read their April 21st post, you can enter to win a FABULOUS prize package! ANOTHER PLUS - mention that you heard it from me in your comments and I can earn another chance to win as well! Tres Bon!  Just click on the button in the left column of this page and it will take you directly to Red Shed Antiques. Good luck to all - this is going to be fabulous!

Easter Sweeties

Hi Everyone! Just a couple of pictures of my two sweet grand babies, all dressed up and enjoying Easter. Abigail loved her bunny and Jamison had a blast hunting for eggs! They really are sweeter than chocolate! Thanx for looking! Hope everyone had a great day! Hugs, Leena

Abigail Rose (14 months)

Jamison (3 and 3/4 years)

Happy Easter!

I just had to share with you something a bit odd that I found, while shopping for every one's Easter goodies. I was walking down the store aisle, when I saw this strange creation out of the corner of my eye. I did a double-take as I didn't believe that I could have possibly seen what I thought I saw. No, I did see it. Here it is:

Peeps on a stick! I call them Peeps kabobs. Can you believe it? Who would have thought of something like this? I couldn't help but laugh out loud right there in the middle of the store! My oldest daughter loves Peeps (personally, I think they're disgusting) but I know she won't be expecting this in her Easter basket! I wonder how they'd do over the BBQ grill? Now that's just sick! LOL

Wishing all a Happy and Joyous Easter!

Beach Trip Finale

Hey Ya'll! Last time, I left you with some beautiful pictures of the sunrise over the ocean on Wednesday. We were supposed to leave for home that day, but extended our stay until Thursday. If we had our way, we'd extend it forever! That is my goal for our future.

The World-Famous Ocean City, MD Boardwalk

We spent most of the afternoon roaming the boardwalk. Since it's pre-season, a lot of the little shops I like to frequent were not open, but there were enough to browse a bit, pick up a sweatshirt my daughter had wanted and a new straw hat and pair of dangly earrings - you know how much I LOVE my dangly earrings! We warmed quite a few benches, admiring the waves and people watching. The beach is the best place for this spectator sport, as you never know what you will see! One year, it was a guy riding a bike with a live monkey on his shoulder! It seems that the beach has this uncanny way of removing folks' inhibitions, and those who would normally be conservative at home, break lose into a fashion frenzy! In other words, you can see some of the tackiest, ill-fitted and downright outrageous outfits along the boardwalk, but I say go for it! Wear it with confidence - wear it like you mean it! We also saw a lot of people riding bikes, which can get a bit dangerous when you're walking and they speed by on both sides. The cutest "bike" by far was one enclosed in a replica vintage car body. It was like a giant pedal toy from the 50's! I want one for home LOL! There were kids of all ages (every body's a kid at the beach) and many sweet little doggies who stopped by to say hello (they probably were searching us for food) and the atmosphere was relaxed and joyful. What's better than coming out of winter's cocoon and spending time along the shore in the bright sunshine? I can't think of a thing that tops that!

I spotted this sign and it immediately reminded me of my friends Dixie and Linda, the Funky Junk Sisters of Junk Salvation. I wish that the store had been open as I would have loved to see what they sold in there.

Can't get enough of that Funky Stuff!

We also hung out at the Kite Loft. This store has so many wonderful things in it! If it flies, swirls, twirls, spins or does anything else in the wind, they sell it! They always have a great display out on the beach during summer, which can be seen for miles! The best kite I ever saw was a huge, almost life-sized cow!

Jim sitting on a beautiful dolphin bench

One of the most colorful and unique destinations along the boardwalk is the Ocean City Art Gallery. The outside of the building is made up of quite an assortment of collected items - an art piece within itself! Inside, there are photos and paintings of just about anything you could desire - beach life, vintage landscapes, old Hollywood icons, and the best selection of sports arena photos! During prior visits, I purchased a framed shot of Fenway Park for Jim and of Turner Field for me. A person could spend hours browsing all this gallery has to offer!

Ocean Gallery

One of the things friends and family request us to bring home is Fisher's Caramel Corn. It is SO GOOD! I like mine with peanuts. It's interesting to watch how this huge vat of caramel is mixed with the popcorn and smells wonderful - tastes even better!

Carry a bucket of this tasty treat around and you'll be a sea gull's friend for life!

LAND SHARK! Nah, it's just the sign for Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum. That Ripley guy sure collected a odd array of things! 

Having been a lifeguard, I have a special respect and appreciation of those who work the shores of Ocean City, keeping all safe. This museum is a nice tribute:

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Thursday morning, we packed up and stopped by the dunes to take a couple of pictures:

There was time for breakfast at Bagels and Buns:

A few more photo opportunities:

Then it was time to say good-bye, head down the road, cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and arrive at home about four hours later. We were thankful for the opportunity to get away for a little while and are looking forward to our next visit!



View of both sides of this enormous bridge

This bridge is over 3 miles long!



One last reminder:

Thanks for reading and I hope that where ever your vacation plans take you, you have a fun, safe and adventurous time! Love ya! ~Leena~

Good Morning from Ocean City!!

Hey all! Just a few pix from this morning's fabulous sunrise - enjoy!

Daaaaaaaaaa.....



Daaaaaaaaaa......



Daaaaaaa...........



Da-Da! Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

Just a silly nod towards the music from "2001: A Space Odessy" in the captions. It goes well with the rising of the sun over the horizon Have a spectacular day!!

Beach Trip, Chapter Three, 19 April, 2011

Oh, what a beeeeea-utiful day it is here in Ocean City! The sun made more of an appearance today and the temperature was a bit warmer. Not too bad for April, I think. The sunrise was much more spectacular this morning:

So pretty!



Early dawn

This captivating scene is well-worth getting up so early for! It wasn't long before children were squealing and dogs were barking and the beach came to life. We headed out a bit later to have breakfast at Denny's. We only have one in our area and it's about an hour away, so while it isn't gourmet dining, it's a great place to get breakfast and good coffee. Jim was on a mission that encompassed more than just breakfast. He was determined to try the bacon and maple syrup ice cream sundae! Hmmm...not exactly breakfast fare, but what the heck? It's vacation, right? I have to tell you, the idea of bacon on ice cream seemed weird, odd and unappealing to me, but I did give it a try. The maple syrup on the vanilla ice cream was good but the bacon didn't add anything to the frozen treat. It was crunchy and salty and, well, as much as I like ice cream, one taste was enough. Still, I had to capture this momentous scientific experiment for posterity:

"Mr Wizard" and his sundae of weirdness

It must have had some magical qualities because after he ate it, Jim won me this adorable fluffy stuffed Easter duck from one of those almost impossible to beat claw machines. He's such a sweetheart!

Our plan for today was to seek out treasures in the local thrift shops, that I could use for art projects and revamping. We came prepared, with a list of locations and directions - AND NEVER FOUND EVEN ONE! Many were in Delaware. We were in search of "Uncle Sugar's Thrift Store" and found all of the streets as per the directions, but not the actual location. We drove and drove and discovered that this area of the country has the weirdest house numbering system. One mailbox would be labeled 34908, yet the one next door was 32007. They went back and forth, up and down and made absolutely no sense what-so-ever. I did spot something interesting, other than the numbers that even defy my poor math skills; two large dragon-winged gargoyles wearing Easter Bunny masks. Gave me a good giggle, that's for sure!

I don't want to see the size of the eggs these things bring!

Finally, I saw an old building with what appeared to be furniture and things inside. I am sure it must have been Uncle Sugar's, even though it had no address or sign posted and appeared to have been closed for quite some time. OK, on to Plan B - going to Sea Shell City! I love this shop. It has the nicest beach-themed goodies. We pulled up and "What????" They are only open on weekends during the off season? Since when? Argh! Stay calm. Let's try Plan C - going to the large souvenir shop and buying the little grand babies some treasures. When we asked Jamison what he wanted us to bring him, he said sand. Not sure what he intends to do with the sand, but he is getting a little bottle filled with sand and shells. The top is sealed but I wager he'll figure out how to open it. He's also getting a T-shirt and a couple of little figures from one of his favorite television shows. He will be absolutely thrilled with these and act out the life lessons that the show teaches, which is a bonus. He's such a smarty! Abigail, being only a year old, would chew on a bottle of sand and shells, so she's getting two T-shirts and a cute little stuffed pink and purple crab. She'll say, "Awww" when we give it to her, hug it tight and probably walk away giggling and smiling. She's such a cute little goober! 

Many folks opted to fly kites today, which was very entertaining to watch. If you've ever tried this on a windy beach, you'll know what a work-out it can be for your arms! I foresee a whole new fitness craze in the near future. We've even seen guys surfing while holding onto huge kites, whipping across the waves! Extreme kite-flying!

Well, time to get some dinner and see what else the evening holds in store.....more soon!

Beach Trip - The Saga Continues

She wore an itsy bitsy, teeny weeny, yellow polka-dot bikini. Not really. It's not quite warm enough for such attire! Here we are, Day Two, 18 April, 2011, continuing to enjoy our time in Ocean City. As I write this, I have the door to our room open and am drinking in the invigorating sound of the waves as they roar to the shore. I never get tired of that sound! Down on the beach, there are a few children running in and out of the water (I know it HAS to be COLD) and some surfers looking to catch that perfect swell, while the gulls hover nearby, awaiting their dinner. Perfect. I could get very used to this!

The sun came up among cloudy skies this morning, but I wanted to take a pic and share it anyway. There's something magical about watching the sun rise over the horizon. Streaks of yellow, red and pink first appear, then, as they elongate, suddenly, the sun begins to show, appearing like a fire ball over the ocean.

Within mere minutes, the full sun is up, the beach is no longer dark and people begin to stir. I think that some of the biggest fans of the off-season are the doggie tourists, who frolic and chase the waves and gulls. They aren't allowed on the beach during the summer. I've often thought of bringing Sullivan, but he is such a water-a-phobe. He doesn't even like rain so I imagine that crashing waves chasing after him would cause a bit of a freak-out! 

We took it pretty easy today, enjoying our time together and our surroundings. We're always so busy at home, that it's hard not to have a schedule of things to do, but it didn't take long for us to realize that we could just sit on our rumps for a little while, without the world crashing. In the evening, we headed out to one of our favorite dinner spots, JR's. They have the best, I mean the BEST crab cakes in the world! There are always several groups of golfers in town at this time of year, and listening to their golf stories while attempting to out-do each others' golfing prowess is rather entertaining.

Tummies happy and full, Jim and I picked up a few supplies at the store, then headed over to Ocean Downs, a harness-racing facility that recently installed slot machines. I love slot machines! I am very good, however, and never let the "one-armed bandit" take all of my money. If I should happen to win anything, I cash out, say "thank you" to the machine and tell Jim, "I'm done". We have been to Vegas twice and go to Charlestown, West Virginia several times, but I have never experienced the BIG WIN. I want to win enough to make all the bells, lights and whistles go off and have an attendant come over to give me my money. I'd even be happy, well, willing, to pay the taxes on it just for the thrill of that one win! I did pretty well this time, putting $40 into a machine and hitting the bonus spins for enough to, after about 90 minutes of fun, pull $71 out and be done for the night. I was excited and took a picture of my machine:


Wish I'd won that progressive jackpot showing at the top!

I think I would have done better, if a manager hadn't come over and told me that pictures were not allowed. He yoinked my mojo! LOL! Oh well, we returned to our hotel, admired the moon, then settled in for the night. Tomorrow is yet another opportunity and enjoy and be thankful for this trip! Talk to you soon!

Leena's Log, Beach Date 17 April 2011

Greeting from Ocean City, Maryland! Jim and are taking a few days, to celebrate our 12th anniversary (April 17th). We arrived yesterday, after an eventful trip which took us north into the far reaches of Delaware instead of east to the ocean - oops! I guess I should have continued my duties as chief navigator instead of playing with my new cell phone! We kept wondering why there was so much farmland that we didn't remember and none of the recognizable landscape. Granted, it's been three years since we've been down here, but after dozens of trips, you'd think we would have figured it out prior to going 70 miles out of our way! So there we were, cruising along, when I spotted this huge sign stating "Welcome to Delaware". I couldn't help but to break out in uproarious laughter! Jim, however, was more stressed than humored. "Don't worry, baby, it's an adventure!" I consoled. "We're lost!" came his anxious reply. So, a quick lunch/dinner at KFC, poor directions from three different people and the purchase of a road map, and we were finally on our way, going the right direction and arriving at our hotel about two hours later.

It's a beautiful place, all decorated with a Victorian theme with such lovely antiques in the lobby. Our room has a nice big window and a door leading to our balcony, from which we have the most phenomenal view of the dunes and ocean! In keeping with the Victorian era, many items are pink! You know how much I love pink!

The first order of business, get Jim a nice, icy-cold frozen drink to unwind with. We went downstairs to the Zippy Lewis Lounge for some yummy pina coladas!



Somebody PLEASE buy this poor man a drink!





Ohhhhhhhhh, frozen colada goodness!



  












Then we spent some time relaxing on the balcony and enjoying the view

Jim looks much more refreshed now!

 Of course, we just had to participate in one of our favorite activities; feeding the sea gulls!

Jim loves to feed the birds. One year, they got so used to him coming out onto the balcony, that they would land on it and look at him, as if asking, "Where's the snackies?". One almost came walking into our room that year!


It was a long day and time for a look at the beautiful moon rising over the ocean, before calling it a day.




I love the way the moon reflects off the waves!

 Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more updates! ~Leena~





Shelter Animals

My friend Karen shared this with me and I just had to share it with you. Having adopted dogs rescued from shelters, it really spoke to my heart. Enjoy!

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.


As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.


As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.


She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship.


A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.


Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.


I rescued a human today.

Today's Smile

Be Happy....Be Free....Be Yourself!

Simple words with so much meaning! Have a glorious day!!