TN Chick's Photo Hunt: Theme this week is THANKFUL

Just look around, there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for in each day!
It may be only that you DID wake up today. Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive!
I am visiting my twin sister in Palm Desert, California for this weekend and next. Please don't hesitate to leave a comment though, I will faithfully repay your visit as soon as I can! Thank you

TN Chick's Photo Hunt: Theme this week is WARM

WARM...ahhh to be warm!!!...wait! I WILL be warm! I am going to visit my twin sister in Palm Desert, California on February 24th until March 12th! These photos show what warm is like at sunset! They were all taken off of the back balcony of my twin, Bobbie's condo. The first is a sunset is December 29th 2007...and the other two are from a sunset January 1st 2008. Can you even imagine how warm the days were?? Aren't you seriously jealous???

A GREAT READ!! "Frantic" by Katherine Howell

I came across Ms Katherine Howell quite by accident...I was blog jumping...and I found her website. I have never read a book so fast in my life! The story line is about a young paramedic in Australia named Sophie Phillips. The story was aptly named FRANTIC, as I was FRANTICally awaiting her next radio call as she and her partner worked in the city ambulance. The story takes a FRANTIC turn when her cop husband is shot in the face and some one has kidnapped Sophie's son, Lachlan. Sophie is FRANTIC in her search for her son. I've never been to Australia, but novelist Katherine Howell made me feel I was there every moment with Sophie. This story could have taken place in anyones home town, in anyones country to anyone we love. This book was absolutely spellbinding and kept me on the edge of my seat. Suspension, drugs, missing child, corrupt government...sounds just like an every other normal day for a paramedic.
GREAT READ!!!
May God Bless all paramedics, firefighters, policemen/women and all service personell and my daughter in love, Allison, a Paramedic here in Michigan.

TN Chick's Photo Hunt: Theme this week is Nautical

Oh to be lounging in one of those deck chairs!

My other photo was taken at New Port, Oregon while watching the lazy seals on floating deck.

TN Chick's Photo Hunt: Theme this week is BRIDGE(S)

This week's theme word, Bridge(s) forced me to look at some of my old photo albums.
The first, is the Natural Bridge in Aruba. This wonderment that took thousands of years to form, was a 100 foot long arch that was 25 feet above sea level. It was one of the main attractions for tourists, as we could walk the entire top of it, "Before the lawyers" got involved. Unfortunately, on Sept 2,2005 this beautiful bridge collapsed in the early morning hours, destroying Aruba's beautiful natural attraction. I have included a photo of the bridge after the collapse.
The beautiful floating bridge (photo 1998) is in the colorful city of Willemstad, Curacao on the Santa Ana Bay of the Caribbean Sea. The pontoon bridge folds against the shore to permit sea going traffic, has been a historical landmark since the 19th century. It is the quickest and only way to get by foot from Punda (the oldest section) to newer Otrobanda on the opposite shore. Its entrance is spanned by the 400 foot Queen Emma, which must be folded against the Otrobanda shore to allow every ship entry or exit to the Harbor ( the 7th largest in the world). The island lies 35 miles north of Venezuela and 42 miles east of Aruba. Curacao is the largest of the 5 islands that comprise the Netherland Antilles. It is 38 miles long and 7.5 miles at its widest point. Dutch is the official language. English, Spanish, Papiamento, the local patios, are spoken throughout the island.
The next photo is the flying bridge of the Legend Of The Seas of the Royal Caribbean with Captain Bengt Ronson from Sweden. Our spacious, "owners cabin" was right behind this flying bridge. Here I must stop and thank my cherished twin sister, Bobbie and her hubby, John, for taking us on this cruise in June 1998, and sharing their 4 room cabin! AMAZING!!! It even had a huge jacuzzi tub, a personal butler, and a baby grand piano in the front room, that played for us with the switch of a knob. All of these ports were included in our cruise through the Panama Canal in 1998 ...but that is another story for me to share someday!
The next photo is the Bridge Of Americas in Panama City. The bridge was completed in 1962 and at that time was the ONLY link between the North & South American Continents. It links both sides of the Panama Canal. At noon on December 31, 1999,
the United States ceremonially handed the government of Panama the monumental canal which was created by American ingenuity, grit, sweat and fortune. Treaties worked out between Panama and the U.S. in 1977 by then presidents Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos, resulted in the shutting down of the U.S. military apparatus and the controversial "reflagging" of the canal from the United States to Panama. When the United States handed the Panama Canal to the corrupt government of Panama, they then handed it to Communist China.Want more info? go HERE
My other photo is of the Bridge Of Americas taken out on our balcony showing the ships flying bridge in the foreground.

I would like some input please...I want to remove all of the black and white photos from my mantle, but what to replace there? Give me some ideas!

My living room is done in burgundy, green and cream colors. I cannot replace the furniture...but I could do anything to the mantle! It is painted a light mauve, one shade darker than the walls. I am including photos of my furniture and the pattern of it. Have any suggestions? What would you even call my decorating style? it's not country, its not modern...help!

My FAVORITE song and a little video! Rory & Joey ROCK!!!