March - Happy St Paddy's day

February was unbelievable, no snow, and wonderful temperatures, the Irishman is feeling better and better, and keeps on walking. There are more people in the building and the park across the street it's starting to look like it's going to happen, the project manager keeps on pushing them.
 March came with all the greenery and happiness of St Patrick's day and we have been talking to TP and Karen and who's going to bring what and every body was just site for the get together at 56 Shaffer rd in Bridgewater, I couldn't wait to get to see every one, we head up on the Wednesday before and got every thing we need; then on Friday we met Kenny and took him to a couple of places, then we cooked.
Saturday March 17th  what a delightful picture perfect day, sunny warm and blue skies, who could ask for any thing better, after picking up a couple of items we took off with auntie Jean and pick up Marcy. We found Hannah cleaning, Erin decorating, Karen finishing up her wonderful Corn beef dip and TP doing all kind of last minute preparations all in a good party spirit. oh I forgot Amber just perfect waiting for people to pet her if they want to. just great. Then came all the kids grand kids, nephews and cousins bringing delicious appetizers, like the Irish sausage, all kinds of cheese dips and O'Colombian empanadas, a delicious kitsch,  desserts like the shamrock cookies from Kerry, beautiful decorated cup cakes from Erin Karen and Hannah, and more cup cakes from aunt Marcy and off course the loved and delicious oatmeal cookies from aunt Michelle. TP should start his own brewery cause his beer was a big hit.  We got to enjoy some new family members this year; Connor and his beautiful and very brave girlfriend Dee, also Karen's brother Danna and Barbara a lot of fun! the kids had a ball either at the basement of at the little doll house in the back yard and the adults were coach to a volleyball game by the volley ball queen also queen of Wildwood Molly Demgard every body showed their volleyball skills, and some of them learn them as the day went by and I believe Erin can pick up this sport.   Grandpa Ford and grandma Cook just enjoyed every minute of it, drinking Irish whiskey, Oh! for the record, I was only giving one little tiny bit of that whiskey, if I seemed drunk was from being happy not from too many drinks, I was just being my old loud Colombian self. We celebrated Kerry's birthday a little early, but couldn't pass the opportunity. In all the party went good and I believe every one enjoy it.
Thank you TP and Karen for allowing us all to come and mess up your home. Thank you every body for coming and bringing delicious treats. 
We're are back to God's country enjoying this beautiful weather which is really a blessing.
God bless every one. we love you!

December, January, February in God's Country

I can't believe how fast the time is flying, and to think that I didn't get to write on my blog since November, well we the Gypsies have been very busy, thank God the house finally close after all the up and downs that a realtor can get, it was worst by knowing that everything they were doing had a purpose, and that was to dilate the closing. I knew it, but didn't want to acknowledge  because it meant to start all over with another buyer and like they said is better to have one, bird in your hand than 100 flying, or something like that.
December's weather was just as great as November's, but I was completely devastated because I didn't get to enjoy Christmas the way I was use to.  I miss my house dearly, but we got to see everybody and had a good time with our fairy God Mother Jean who has done everything possible to make us feel better than at our own home. We had a grand time at the Ford's in Branch burg where we got to enjoy most of the family on Christmas eve day, then at my sister's Christmas eve night and close up at Jean's for Christmas day. We were sorry that because of all the problems with the house we didn't get to spend Christmas with Kenny in Hawaii, but the thought of a bad snow storm or that we were going to close earlier as the buyers kept saying, stop us from going to paradise. We will always regret it. New years day we had a very nice lunch with the Demgard's in Nutley, On new years eve I had my fund raising party, then close up with cheese and champagne at Jeanny's house.
January brought our son back from Hawaii, it was bitter sweet because who wants to come back from paradise, but it was great seeing him again and we spend 4 nice days in Maryland with him, listening to all the adventures and experiencing some more new eating in silver Spring.  weather in God's country was excellent so Ken was able to enjoy his cigars and became the honorary project manager for the new park across from our building. They miss him when he doesn't go to see them, and he helps by listening to all their complaints, or needs for water or whatever he can help with. We also got to see his Doctor and schedule the second surgery in his life to get rid of his 2 hernias.

February. Thank God the operation was a success and Ken is recovering pretty fast, thanks to our fairy God mother for the room and board. Off course he was not going to get better in  Westfield no matter how good our hostess was, is "the salted air" that cures everything and he's been able to get moving faster and went back to his project manager job. We think though, that the real reason why he really got better so fast was because of all the love from his wonderful kids, every one of them have been so beautiful giving him so much love that he really doesn't know how to handle it some times. He wishes he could express his gratitude the right way, but he loves you all and thanks God every day for being blessed with such great kids grand kids and in-laws, nephews and families, Niece etc.  I just want to say thank you! we love you very much God bless every one.

We can believe the kind of winter we're having, not bad for our first year down in God's country. It really makes you feel alive and healthy. We can wait to see every one at the St Patricks party at Tp and Karens home, they were very kind to offer to have it, and we are very happy to get to see every one, have a couple of beers and eat lots of corn beef, shepherds pie Karen's great dip, etc. etc. and to see all those beautiful Irish kids.

love you all
Sonia and Ken

November Oh what a beautiful November!!

October said good bye with a nasty north eastern, the only good thing is that we were bless with the homeless from Branchburg. we were so happy to take the 2 little pirates trick o treating around, they were so cute. It seems that everybody had company that weekend it was a Halloween to remember, I can't think when I saw snow in October, but then again memory is not the same.
the greatest thing about October was that we got to see Molly Ann play volleyball and what a game we watch, she is in control, she is awesome and  she has a great future ahead we are so proud of her, she is really cool.
after watching Molly's game we went to the Rock, and my hero Ryan Andrew shine through out the night with 2 wonderful goals and an assist, he look like a pro, cool relax and sure of himself, I tell you my retirement gets to look better day by day.


We're still waiting for this contract on the house to go through, so far the buyers inspections were done, and off course as every buyer in this market, they do want a brand new home, and we're having to deal with this right now.
November so far it's been beautiful in God's country, we are still walking on the water, meeting all the fishermen who are very distress with the ocean temperature because the strippers usually come around this time, but the ocean it's still to warm, we have been doing a great job cleaning the beach everyday and Mr. Ford is just so relax and happy.
This past Saturday we had company, Jean, John, Rosalie and Ben came to visit us and although it was cooler and windier  we managed to walk and play on the beach, had a wonderful lunch at the lobster house and spend the afternoon in cape may which was pretty crowded, then we finish the day with a good dinner from the crest tavern. Ben collected all kinds of shells, fed the birds and had a good time cleaning his shells.
Our Hawaiian son it's still having a great time in hawaii,(God's country 2 according to him) yesterday he bought a surf board, so he's set. We hope that he'll return to the mainland

October in God's country

September was a little bit wet at the end, with very unusual cloudy days, but October so far it's been pretty good, first of all the beach has been empty of humans but full of my birds sandpipers, sanderlings, and off course all kinds of sea gulls, dolphins are still here, and hundreds of Monarch butterflies on their way to Mexico, we walk in the morning, and in the afternoon, we  bring our chairs to the beach, and while I read my books, ken checks out the horizon for a long display of sail boats going south, and depending on the time of the day he guesses whether they are going to cape may, Baltimore, north or south Carolina, he also gets to see many tug boats his favorites,(must be in his blood) always pulling huge boats, and the seagulls sit by us content to have the tranquility of the beach to themselves, the little ones are always eating something by the water and then they just sit facing the wind on one leg, relaxed like saying "humm no humans around".

The weekends are different, the Wildwoods and Cape may organized more festivals than there are names for. One weekend, they had the 4 wheelers competition on the beach in Wildwood, and soccer tournaments all over, this past weekend Cape may had the Lima bean festival and off course the wine festival, which I must add, it was fabulous. 22 wineries times 8 or 10 wines, there was a lot of tasting, a nice band playing in the background and lots of good food. the weather was perfect.

The rest of the weekend went really fast, we had a great time with Kenny in DC.  We went there Sunday morning and this time went across NJ and came out by the Memorial bridge, we love going that way because we get to see all the farms and little towns all dressed up for Halloween,
We spent the afternoon with Kenny, and met Cait and her parents.  Monday was a very busy and productive day, we took a metro and went to the beautiful Botanical gardens, a great place to see, then went to the American Indians museum, and off course Ken was in his glory. this is a must see, the outside is shaped like a pueblo and they have 4 floors of amazing history. we got to watch a very interesting movie and got to taste some basic American Indian food.

My son never gets tired and the city blocks seemed very short to him, so he insisted to show us the museum of space and aviation, very interesting. I think Sean will have a field day there. then we were told that we were only a mile and a half to the restaurant he had made diner reservations, and were given a choice of taking the metro to shorten the distance, we walk 1/4 mile to the metro, went for about 10 minutes till we exited and started to walk for about 10 more very little blocks (lol) any way we made it to 7PS Restaurant. where our son treated us to a very interesting diner, on the way home we had some delicious yogurt.
Tuesday we did some chores and sight seeing on our own, and met Kenny for dinner, went to sleep early because we had to get up early and deliver the kid to his job to get on the bus to Norfolk. He will be leaving next Sunday morning to Hawaii, and we'll missing very much(bon voyage, buen viaje, have a wonderful trip)but he will be very happy.


Here we are again in God's country with our birds, our ocean, thinking of every body we love.
God bless every one.
by the way  our friend Tom Bradly's mom passed away last Saturday(owner of Bradly's bikes)

September in God's Country

The Summer came and went so fast and here we are at the end of September.  It's quiet during the week but the weekends are still crowded, thank God.
Our little room (Kenny's) still busy which keep us pretty happy. we also have been busy helping Kenny move from Long Beach back to Washington, we got to see his new place and enjoy some good time with our son during which we learned how to negotiate with movers next time around and go to the right Verizon store, we had a great lunch at the Vietnamese restaurant and a delicious Costco's dinner.  We are delighted to know that when we take the ferry he's only 2:30 hrs from Lewes DE, we drove there this pass Wednesday and it was a very nice drive going over the Chesapeake bay bridge by Annapolis.
This weekend was Irish weekend and of course everything was packed, Kenny's room had some nice guest; the Cooks from Cranford and Jeanne. we had a ball even though the weather was suppose to be very wet but God's country did it again. Saturday was cloudy but warm enough for them to go in the water, and ride the waves, pick up shells, found 2 hermit crabs one Julia named snappy.and Claudia just ran around, in the afternoon we went to the zoo, and saw many animals, had a scare of our lives when the Lion decided to roar so loud that we thought he had escaped and came after us. Poor Julia went in a panic but thank God Bryan handle her very well, we saw beautiful pandas and zebras and of course the snow leopard and the albino crocodile, then went back to the pool and hot tub, and finish at home with a great banquet of lobster, clams, mussels and shrimps from the lobster house. We have to leave one lobster just for Julia, who ate pretty much the hold thing. we tapped off the night with beautiful fire works right in front of the Port Royal hotel which we were able to watch from our balcony.
Sunday morning was very warm and Sunny to our surprise, since the weather channel and every one we spoke to had told us that it was going to rain for sure;  well after mass we went to the beach and the water was perfect for a nice swim, the dolphins came to say hello too, and Julia and Claudia collected many shells and horse shoe crabs. Just before they left Claudia gave us the best surprise after being very shie all weekend, when we asked her if she wanted to come back? she started to scream yes yes with a great smile and gave us kisses and hugs.
Thank you Cooks for a very nice weekend!

After Irene, August 29, 2011

Good Morning everyone, hope you made it with no problems through this milestone, well let me tell you
This is truly God's country, everything looks great just cleaner, the ocean seems so peaceful, and it's a perfect 82 deg with gorgeous blue sky and very soft wind.  Now we are waiting for the little people to top this wonderful week off

God Bless everyone

love Sonia & Ken