Fantastic Pre-New Year's Party!

Since moving to Harbor Hills last June, our lives have been filled with wonderful new friends and parties! December 29 was no exception. Jerri and Geo Mayer, pictured above, hosted a fun-filled evening at the clubhouse, black tie required!! One hundred and twenty-five of their closest friends attended. The dinner was delicious, the music divine, and most of all, the warmth of our many new friends was a joy! Click on this link for more pictures, but don't forget to view the second page of pictures by clicking 'page 2' (letters in green, upper left corner) on the first gallery page.

The Best Holiday Surprise of All!

Well, it didn’t take long, but hard work, negotiation skills and a great personality (gotta love those genes!) helped Lisa seal her first deal with a home built by Hartley Brothers. In December, Lisa called to tell us she sold her first home. We were all thrilled, but no one struck the celebration pose quite like our Lisa!! We’re so proud of her!

They're Here!!

Boston-based Sunni & Kevin arrived yesterday for the holiday!! We're having fun, starting with an evening of hibachi. Of course, any visit to Sumter Landing includes David's favorite venue, Baskin Robbins Ice Cream!!

Music of the Night!

Our country club held a 'Music of the Night' evening, Friday October 17. It was a big turnout, complete with drinks, dinner and dancing. We enjoyed the evening, which required a little dressier attire than normal....Of course these folks took the Phantom theme 'up a notch.' A great time was had by all. For more pics of the evening, click here. Don't forget Page 2 by clicking "2" next to the green 'gallery pages.'

Thanksgiving & the Girls

The picture above shows the girls in 1979. It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving, 2006 is here. The best part is having our family around the table again. Sunni will be with us in Florida (the one with the big smile on the left) for a week, getting relaxed and rejuvinated. Lisa (the one with the big smile on the right) and Danny will be here for as long as Lisa's hectic schedule will allow. But one thing's for sure - we are truly thankful for the blessings our family has enjoyed all year long. From our home to yours, a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Looking for a New Home??

We are so very proud of the new real estate agent in our family!! Our daughter Lisa recently landed a job selling new homes with a prominent builder, Hartley Brothers. in the Gainesville area. Check out her website if you're in the market, or even if you're not!! The homes are beautiful and frankly, so is she!!

Boo!

Our first Halloween party at Harbor Hills was so much fun! The costumes were creative and funny - and some quite beautiful. David and I donned our "Bonnie & Clyde" attire. Once David gets that white tie, hat and machine gun going, he's "in character" for the rest of the evening. Everyone got into the fun with prizes for costumes and Halloween games. Click here for more Halloween pics! Now, what shall we dress as next year? ..

Good Friends, Great Times!

On October 27, Bob and Luz Stella Tinsman visited us in Harbor Hills. We spent a delightful weekend together. It included dinners at our two favorite restaurants, golf, walks and lovely conversation out on our patio. Even Bailey the Pekingese, recognized "Uncle Bob" and (eventually) greeted him with a fine hello! We're looking forward to our next visitors, Steve and Marga Montanino, in January.

Having Fun at Harbor Hills

Grandson Danny spends the weekend, and all kinds of activity takes place! Practice putting, golf cart rides and doggie walks are all on the agenda. Even an "Hibachi" dinner makes the cut!

Our First Visitor From PGA Village!

We are SO delighted that our friends Bob & Luz Tinsman will be visiting us October 27th. They are the very first friends from PGA Village to visit us in our new home in Lady Lake. Pictured here, is our daughter Lisa (alias Monica Lewinsky), former President Clinton (also known as David Hoffman) and Retired Col. Bob Tinsman. The picture was taken Thanksgiving, '04. An unlikely threesome, wouldn't you say?

Picture Cube

Six of our recent favorite shots!

Fall Is Here!

Having relocated from South Florida to Central Florida, the cool mornings and evenings are a lovely relief from the broiling hot summer. Our trees and local color can never compare to the Northeast though, where many family members reside. Yesterday, our Boston-based daughter called to rave about the foliage, on her way to apple-picking!! Here, too, is a beautiful Autumn shot of our cousin Barbara, during her round of golf! Love them and miss them both!!

Harbor Hills First Crop!

Tuesday, September 26th, marked the first ever "Scrapbooking Day" held at Harbor Hills. We had a lovely turnout, with ladies all new to the scrapbooking hobby. Irene Howe, Creative Memories consultant from the Villages, was instrumental in getting the group off to a creative start. Many thanks to all participants, and let's get those photos out of the boxes in the back of the closet!!

Opera Night!

Last Thursday, September 14 was Opera Night at Isabella's Restaurant. The entertainment was divine, and the company even moreso! We joined in the activities with a few renditions of our own, with our friends Geo and Jerri Mayer. For more photos of this operatic event, see this link and use your back button to return.

A Ticker Tape Parade???

Miami versus Florida State football will be played Labor Day. David, a die-hard Miami fan, chats it up with Adam, an FSU graduate. FSU will be traveling to Miami to open the season and face the 'Canes.

Will Adam's alma mata prevail?? Are those tapes actually calculations of the odds?? Only time will tell...Stay tuned for more on the Big Rivalry...

New At Petco!

Today we were pleased that our vet gave us "paws up" on Bailey's tail. It's been almost three months since it became infected and had to be surgically repaired, not once but twice!! He is healed and all stitches and staples have finally been removed. Bailey is doing great. We went to Petco to celebrate with both Bailey and Brandee-Cherie today. Baby Brandee insisted on riding in Daddy's cart. After picking out her toy, we proceeded to checkout. The clerk tried to "scan" our baby!! Fortunately, we were allowed to take her home even though her price didn't come up on the register!

On Her Way Home!

We just spoke to the international agent for Continental Airlines. Daughter Sunni is finally winging her way home from Manchester, UK. In light of recent events, we are especially thankful. Much appreciation to all our friends and relatives for their prayers and concerns. Her flight was four and a half hours late taking off today. She will miss her connecting flight in Newark, NJ. But we are certain she'll find her way back to Boston, once she lands in the US. We can't wait to hear her voice again...

It's "Greenman" Day!

Today was a lovely craft day at Harbor Hills. Jerri Mayer hosted "Greenman Day." We decorated clay pots with a little elf face, leaves and embellishments (harder than it looks!!). We all found the artists in ourselves and came up with individual and creative looks for our gardens.

Kids Camp Was "Fab"!!!

Grandson Danny joined the rest of the Harbor Hills gang for Kids Camp this summer. He golfed, swam, played tennis and even made cookies and bread!! The counselors did a wonderful job keeping the kids interested and active. David and I enjoyed having Danny visit with us for the week. Click on the link for more pictures of summer camp fun. Danny's Summer Camp. Use your "back" button to return to the blog.

Our Entertainment Centre is Finally Complete!

Our old friend Steve, from Specifics, worked his magic with our entertainment centre. He is finally finished and it's a work of art! Teaming with Jay, the AV guy, and Shawn, our stone man, we have a beautiful addition to our new home. Pictured above are David and Steve. [i]Click on picture for a closer view.[/i]

The Unusual Neighbors

You gotta love the diversity of our new neighborhood! Actually, that's Shawn, pictured with his brand new "bike." Shawn's been a "Villager" since 1965 when he bought land right in the centre of what today is known as, "The Villages." Lucky Shawn!

Shawn will be installing the stone surrounding the mantle of our fireplace next week. There's always something interesting going on in this community! Click on the photo for an expanded view.

Welcome, "Weber"!!

You KNOW David is serious about chillin' and grillin' if he invests in a brand new grill! Welcome, Weber, the latest addition to our new home. Weber joins us, just in time for a July 4 cookout with our daughter Lisa. We're all excited to be spending our first July 4 here in Harbor Hills.

Mother's Day at Harbor Hills

Here's the fam enjoying a beautiful Mother's Day luncheon at the Harbor Hills Country Club.

New Residents of Ormond Beach

Congratulations to our good friends Bob and Jean Sutton! They just closed on their gorgeous new home in the prestigious community of Plantation Bay. We were fortunate enough to be their first "official" guests. The home and lot are spectacular. We enjoyed seeing our friends again, and spending time in their beautiful new community.

Keeping Our Fingers (and toes) Crossed!

We're keeping fingers, toes and paws crossed for a June 1 closing date! Next is cabinetry, flooring, plumbing fixtures and....well, now I'm thinking June 15!! Here's what we look like so far on a beautifully elevated lot overlooking the 17th fairway! Click for a closer view.

Our Grandson aka Spiderman!

Danny celebrated his tenth birthday on Saturday at Gainesville's Rock Climbing Gym. Along with his friends, Danny climbed the rock wall easily and to our amazement! Mom Lisa, our daughter, "spotted" as Danny and friends climbed walls of different difficulty levels. Pizza and birthday cake finished the day of exercise and fun! Click for a closer view.

We Rock!

Last week, the rock accents were installed on our new home. The next step should be exterior and interior painting, then installation of cabinets. We continue to appreciate our extaordinary view of the 17th fairway, and all the Harbor Hills community has to offer. Click for a closer view.

Cruisin' the Expo...

Here's a pic of Lisa and David checking out the aisles at the Scrapbook Expo in Orlando. There were hundreds of exhibits and suppliers and so much to see!

Scrapbooking Expo!

On Sunday, April 2, David so generously offered to drive Lisa & me to the Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando, Florida. We attended two scrapbook workshops during the Scrapbooking Expo. The three-day Expo was attended by 4500 participants. Our classes gave us some hands-on experience with new techniques. After returning to Lady Lake, we had a delicious Italian dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. A great day was had by all! Here's a picture of Lisa and me with our instructor and completed projects. Click for a closer view.

St. Paddys & the River Green

St. Paddy's Day weekend was a Grandparent's delight! Our day started off with the "Shaggy Dog" movie at the Rialto Theatre in The Villages. Then we walked around the quaint streets of Spanish Springs. All the fountains were spouting green water in celebration of St. Paddy's day! We ended the day at Paulie's for a delicious slice of pizza. A beautiful day from start to finish. Click for a closer view of that green water!

Life is Delicioso!

Today, our dear friend Yolanda, traveled to New York with her TV star daughter Ingrid. Ingrid was featured on Martha Stewart. Ingrid, star of her own cooking show, Delicioso, taught Martha how to prepare a spectacular red snapper taco. We enjoyed the show so much. And the piece de resistance for us, was watching our friend Yolanda, seated in the front row, enjoy her daughter's cooking, on national TV!!! Click on the pics for a closer view...

The Quilt Shoppe

Giving up my three fish tanks in Port St. Lucie, gives me ALOT of time to try some new hobbies. My latest is learning the art of quilting. I've purchased a lovely new sewing machine, and am taking classes with Jan, the Quilting Queen. My very first lesson was today! It's lots of fun and challenging. The best part about quilting is having a cozy blanket to cuddle up to when all the work is done!

A Mary Kay Day of Beauty...

Our daughter Lisa had a Mary Kay "makeover" party last Sunday in Gainesville. She had friends from work and her mom attend!! We all got our makeovers, while David played catch with Danny and read the paper. I managed to get in some good "Grandma Time" with Danny myself, as we worked on his iTunes playlist and downloaded some new musical releases and a few music videos, too!

Dry Wall Never Looked So Good!!

After golf today, David and I checked on the progress of our new home. Happily, the dry wall was being installed. We "bumped" into our building superintendent Steph, and had a long talk and walk-through. After reviewing a few electrical issues, we were promised a sixty day completion. Next on the agenda, is our flooring and then cabinetry. With any luck, I'm guessing mid-May for a realistic move-in date.

As Time Goes By

The most difficult part of building our new home is waiting for completion. The December finish date slipped to February. Now the projection is the end of April (Don't bet the farm!). To while away the time, we're acclimating to the new area, getting our new doctors lined up and spending time with daughter Lisa and grandson Danny. One of our recent activities was the creation of glazed pottery pieces, proudly displayed by the artists~ David and me!

January, Our Birthday Month!

January is our birthday month. This year, amidst our boxes in the rental garage, and "interim" status, we managed to have a blast! David had dinner in his favorite restaurant, Isabella's. I chose an activity for the two of us on my special day: a pottery creation at Amazing Glaze, with dinner at the Japanese Steakhouse to follow. We are pictured above with our original creations. The dishes will be given a "glaze bath" and then fired in a kiln. They should be ready for pick up next week.

Welcoming the New Year

We enjoyed New Year's Eve dinner at a local Summerfield restaurant called Isabella's. The Mediteranean fare was incredibly delicious. A vocalist was hired for the festivities. As we quickly found out (in this friendly town) the owners are neighbors of ours in Harbor Hills! A great time was had by all. 2006 is off to an exciting (and delicious!) start! Happy New Year, Friends!