Coming Out

I know you all have seen the most adorable grandkids many times but I have more to show you.We put in this door for our 4 legged family members about 3 years ago but I think all the kids in the family think it was done for them. I am not being partial to Sam but I have about a "quadjillion" picture to look thru to find the ones of Nathan trying to come thru. I will post those once found.

whats more scary, a room full of kids or a hurricane

I suppose that depends on who you ask, you may not want to ask Rich. A few weeks ago Sister Flanders called and asked Rich if he would help out with our Primary Activity, of course him being a weather person his job was to help the children understand about how the weather affects us and how being prepared makes it much more easier. He did a great job, we didn't have quite as many kids show up as we hoped would so they were split into two groups, boys and girls. We had the boys first, they asked great questions and learned alot about weather, of course we had cool stuff like wind up flashlights, a weather radio that we got to turn on and hear about "real" time hurricane info, we had loads of stuff that the RED CROSS gave us----yea Tifton Red Cross. So after that was passed out they moved onto the next station manned (womaned) by Sister Brown, to say the least that was interesting, sort of like getting a band aid on an oiled piglet !! But they did well for the most part, at one point I did mention to Sister Dorsett (forgive me if spelling is incorrect) that I wasn't sure how I managed to raise 2 boys mostly alone and keep my sanity. After a few mins the boys moved on and the girls moved in, they were not near as interested in our hurricane presentation, they pretty much wanted their stuff for their backpacks and to move on so we kept it short and sweet. Oh but here comes the best part. While we all were doing our presentations or games or singing, Sister Flanders and Sis McCray were cooking HoBo Foil dinners and Smores....the smell was making our mouths water and the wait was well worth it. So all in all I would have to say the kids were a little less scary than a hurricane. The vote from Rich is still out.

here are a few photo's from today, notice poor Blue MM's broken arm. The other's are everyone enjoying the yummy food.

Weather Wise

Looks like we are starting to get more than our share of the weather so I thought that maybe some of you would like a link to access the local (Moody AFB, GA) radar loop that lets you keep an eye on these storms that are finding us so often these days. You can just explore the site and if you have questions, let me know. I'm not an expert on the NWS website, but I can help most likely.

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=VAX&product=N0R&overlay=11101111&loop=yes


















Here is the link to the Hurricane Center that will give you up to 5 days of what they expect systems to do.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?5day#contents

Most of you internet geeks know how to find this, but below is a list that explains the Saffir-Simpson Scale for Tropical Depression/Storm /Hurricane differentiation. These winds are sustained (one minute average) versus gusts (peak winds over a 10 minute period).

TD = Tropical Depression: 23 - 38 mph (20-34 kts)

TS = Tropical Storm: 39 - 73 mph (34 - 63 kts)

Hurricane Catetgory 1: 74 - 95 mph (64 - 82 kts)

Hurricane Category 2: 96 - 110 mph (83 - 95 kts)

Hurricane Category 3: 111 - 130 mph (96 - 113 kts)

Hurricane Category 4: 131 - 155 mph (114 - 135 kts)

Hurricane Category 5: > 155 mph (>135 kts)

One of these days

I couldn't resist and hey don't all families have pictures like that ,that years later the kids want to commit seppuku on you for. Seen Jens blog lately ? That lovely picture of Helen in the neck brace, if that isn't one I don't know what is. Well here is one that Nathan will be complaining about for years to come. I mean he is wearing a SpongeBob party hat and Dora the Explorer swim pants, which is not too bad except years from now I know he will ask "what are those pink panties or whatever is showing under my swim trunks"? Of course I will have the explantation ready providing I remember it, I went off and left his clothes/pull ups in his Mom and Dad's car when we were going to Gabi's 3 rd birthday party so we used her's. Still as a Nonna I love it.

A Sad Sad Life

I guess I shouldn't say things like that but I have been fussed at ALOT for not posting. I have had nothing to post , no diaries, nothing exciting has happened of late, I know I should be thankful for that and I am but there in lies the problem of what to post. I am not witty and funny and able to make you laugh at lifes most simple things (Jen/Carol) . I have downloaded some new pictures of the most beautiful grandchild-sorry Sis Coates,Carol and all the other grandmothers out there but we can "share" that title and it will be ok. So I am posting them for now until I come up with something else. Enjoy. The first two are Sam exploring the cat door, actually all the kids including Madeline and Bella have been in and out that door, poor little Nathan got stuck in it, his head and shoulders were always too big to get thru it without a stuggle

Name Dropper

Well I wasn't asked but thought I might as well put my two cents in, and besides I have been "fussed" for not posting for so long---hey LIFE happens.
I have a few encounters with the "famous" . Of course A. Tippin which Rich mentioned, I just couldn't talk to him, we had just finished eating Chinese food and no way was I going to speak to him with teeth full of rice and goodness knows what else plus I had almost walked right into him so that was almost as good as speaking. Next on the list was Jane Fonda, please dont' hold it againist me, it was a volunteer project I was working on with the local police dpt and she came to check it out. There was Prez and Mrs Carter, I was working on a Hab for Human Housing project down in Valdosta and for whatever reason they chose the house I was working in to help with. It was fun and interesting , they were quite humble and not afraid to get down and dirty, so dirty in fact at one point Mr Carter and I were painting in the same room and I happened to get my paint roller over his rear end, he was most gracious about it, of course I felt like a nimrod ! There was a soap opera guy that I met in Ocilla but for the life of me I can't remember his name, I know he's Greek if that helps..lol
I feel like there is more but am very sleepy and am giving up for the evening.

Famous Encounters

Hmmmm, well, my final reenlistment in the Air Force was performed by Gordon Fullerton.
Fullerton was the pilot on the eight-day STS-3 Space Shuttle orbital flight test mission March 22-30, 1982. Fullerton was commander of the STS-51F Spacelab 2 mission, launched on July 29, 1985. This mission, with the orbiter Challenger, was the first pallet-only Spacelab mission and the first to operate the Spacelab Instrument Pointing System (IPS).
Vickie and I also ran into Aaron Tippin in our Las Vegas hotel, but Vic was a bit timid about talking to him after we'd just eaten dinner including rice (she hadn't had time to brush her teeth). Of course, I met many of the Astronauts during my 5 years supporting the Space Shuttle. Ran into Chuck Yeager a few times there too.
One of the most interesting, which I'd forgotten, happened while I was stationed at Edwards AFB supporting the space shuttle. We got a call one afternoon that the folks in Hollywood wanted weather support for a new series called "Quantum Leap," the pilot of which was to be filmed on the base. After answering numerous weather questions and making 4 to 6 different types of forecasts per day, they got the series of shots they wanted done. One of the assistants called and invited the two forecasters involved over to the set for the wrapup buffet (or whatever it was). We ran almost right into Scott Bacula and were introduced, but he was busy, so we were told to order whatever we wanted to eat and just wander around. It was pretty cool.
The next day, Dean Stockwell and and another cast member came by the weather station to introduce themselves AND ask if I'd like to join the for a round of golf. Unfortunately, I was the duty forecaster that day and the space shuttle was getting ready to launch again, so I couldn't leave the station.
I can't say I've met them, but I watched Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and all of the golf stars play at the Tour Players Championship at Sawgrass (St. Augustine). I did get some cool autographs on my hat, but the most well known of them is Jerry Kelly, who is one of my favorites.