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Fifteen minutes of fame

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:40:02 +0000

Ok closer to 3 minutes but we’ll take it! LOL I metioned in one of the posts about hurricane Earl that we were contacted by BBC radio in London after I made a comment to one of their news articles which asked at the end for reader contributions about preparing for the hurricane. I was quite surprised actually when they called me later that evening and asked if we would mind to go on one of the radio programmes, 5Live and speak. We got quite a kick out of the idea and agreed. They got a bit of background info and we went on. Both of us were quite nervous, well me for sure! Anyway they thanked us and asked to share any photos or videos and such. Well we tried to get a few pics and a vid or two but with all that was happening preparing for the storm we didnt have time to get anything really good or interesting. Plus we were worn out as well. Anyway after that initail radio interview I guess they passed on the fact that Alison was from the Northeast of England to their colleagues in Newcastle which is near to Sunderland and the idea of them speaking to a local girl who was in North Carolina was to their liking. So out of the blue the next morning we get another call from BBC Newcastle. The number came upo blocked on my cell so I didnt answer it thinking it was work calling and wanting me to come in on my day off! They left a voicemail and a number and since I still have a subscription on to Skype I called them back. They asked us if we would spend a few minutes to pre record an interview to air on their morning show “Alfie and Charlie at Breakfast” . We spent a little bit of time talking to a few of them there, very nice and friendly people they are! Anyway we did the interview and found out when it would be on. It aired this morning about half past 7 UK time, of course we snoozing, or trying to snooze. The wind and rain were whipping up a lot then. Wasn’t so bad as it could have been, the hurricane had weakend and was making a northeastward turn as we were going to bed so we were spared the brunt of the storm. Anyway we were back at work first thing this morning and didnt have power so we would have to wait until we returned to try and hear it. As it turned out I was only at work about an hour when my cell rang and it showed “blocked” ! Well I answered it and it was BBC Newcastle again saying the interview was picked up by the BBC London and broadcast all over! Being at work I didnt have a lot of time to talk but they said they want to do another one on how we made out and all. So they are supposed to get back with us to set a time for it. As for the interview we prerecorded it wasn’t until we got back home that we had a listen to it and I was able to record it.

OK without further ado, here we are!

Our (Alison’s) interview on the BBC

Hurricane Earl update 8:00 pm

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:14:07 +0000

They’re saying now it will be around 3am this morning before Earl is supposed to be off of Cape Hatteras so it’s going to be a very long night! :( Just now the wind is beginning to pick up here. This is one of the tiring parts of going through these things, the waiting. It’s nerve wracking at times just sitting and wondering. Guess we have things at the ready, food and supplies, over 100 gallons of water stored up and all the hatches battened down so its just the wait. With it being night when it hits I wont be able to see or record any video. Probably could get some audio but who wants to hear that! Anyway we’re safe and just sitting around, going to get a shower soon and afterwards fill up the tub with water as well. Then I think its time for a gin and tonic! ;) even went back to the store to get the lemon!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hurricane Earl Update, state of emergency

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:36:02 +0000

This morning our county decalred a state of emergency when it began to issue evacuation orders for visitors in the outer banks part of the county. This state of emergency also suspends the sale of alcohol in the county, much to the dismay of many! lol well lucky we made our purchases yesterday!!

I suppose its a good thing they do this, I’m sure alcohol causes some stupid decisions/actions when it comes to hurricanes, but I’m sure many already have stocked up as we did!

Will have more pics and things on in a bit as we have a few more preparations to do before the weather gets bad, and Alison once again got an interview with BBC newcastle radio this morning! She’s a star now! They prerecorded an interview which will be braodcast in the morning on BBC Newcastle radio tomorrow morning about 7:20 am UK time. Heres the link to the program for anyone interested to hear it!

Hurricane Earl is coming

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:30:41 +0000

Just beginning preparations in the event Earl pass thru, which is looking very probable!

We’ve been out today getting stocked up; food, batteries and the necessary supplies (gin, wine and ciggies!)

Water storage in preparation

Seriously though we are getting prepared, beginning to clear the yard and deck, storing water for the inevitable power outage that usually follows these things. I’ve learned from experience that having PLENTY of water on hand is the most important thing, After Isabel we had 8 days with no power, temps in the high 90′s and unberable high humidity. Believe me it was wonderful to be able to even wash up in a basin of water during those days, not to mention having a “flush” supply on hand! That year I did the normal “filling the bathtub” before the storm which I had never done and it was the best decision i made. But we cut it very close as the last day of no power we were down to the bottom of the tub! So this time in addition to the tub we have filled a few plastic totes with water in preparation. We’ve got about 50 gallons on hand so far and will fill some more tomorrow. I expect tomorrow will find evacuation orders issued for all the beach areas and probably Currituck as well, at least the Outer Banks portion of the county. We will monitor the track and strength and decide tomorrow if we are going to stay. As it stands now we will stay and hunker down. As is ususal today was a clear beautiful day, calm and hot. Calm befor the storm… check out our commentary if you’d like :)

Calm before the storm and More Calm before the Storm

: The yard before the storm

Not sure what tomorrow and the next day will bring, but I am fully sure there will be a ton of debris on the lawn from the trees! not looking forward to that cleanup! Well thats it for now, more to follow, right now I have to go and get ready for an interview from the BBC radio show 5Live!! more on that later too!

Update – Wow! cant believe we just we interviewed by BBC Radio! 5 Live is the Radio station/programme. I posted a comment on their news story of the hurricane and I guess because we live in the area they wanted a report first hand, anyway I think it went well and they asked if they could possibly call again tomorrow when the storm is nearer. Alison is quite the reporter I think, me not so much LOL I get too nervous!

In Memory of Gretchen & Nicos

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:31:24 +0000

6 years ago this month

swine flu situation pages

admin — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:09:37 +0000

Neat little iframe containing feeds and links to various pages concerning the swine flu outbreak.

I’d buy this stamp ;)

admin — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:17:42 +0000

From FunPhotoBox, thanks to Mike from Top of Texas Gazette for the link! Cool site.

Lilac – First Emotions of Love

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:58:13 +0000

The Lilac – First emotions of love.. I BELIEVE :)
Two years ago this photo was taken. As you can see from the blooms its a purple lilac. April 2006 was the very first time since it was planted that it bloomed. To be honest at the time it was planted I had no idea of what type of bush it even was.
Maybe a bit of background is needed here, maybe not..well here it is anyway, read or skip down a bit ;) Gretchen was very close to her grandparents… they had lived since they were married back in the 1920′s in a small farmhouse that her grandfather built. And as a child Gretchen spent a lot of time with them , especially in the summer months as her grandparents had a working farm and a produce stand that they ran. So from the time the grandkids could contribute a bit, they were put to work picking vegetables or gathering eggs from the hen house. Well needless to say Gretchen spent a lot of time with them. Her Grandfather passed away in the early 1980′s, not long after we were married, so I never really got to know him, and her grandmother passed away in 1999. Gretchen’s dad being the only boy was the one who got the homestead. Well his health was going down and he got to the point he couldn’t do the upkeep on the place, or even take care of the property so he was more or less forced to sell it. Of course Gretchen being the sensitive soul she was took it hard as she had really grown up there. And even my own kids had spent a bit of time there too, its where my daughters first got behind the wheel of a car to practice driving up and down the lane and around the field in front of the house. lots of memories there, even for me. So anyway just before he sold it we went one weekend to get a few of the plants and flowers that were abundantly planted there over the years by her grandmother. I think for two or three days we dug and hauled these things back home. I would ask Gretchen what kind of plant or bush it was we were diggin, and she didnt have a clue! lol All she knew was she wanted some to remind her of her grandmother and have something of her grandmother’s in the yard! Over the next couple of years some of the things made it and some just didn’t survive the transplanting as a lot of them were wild naturalized ones I think, Anyway two of these held on and grew, but they never did bloom at all while she was alive. but I know now she has seen them bloom and also seen something else even greater bloom, Love. Now here is where it all just sort of comes together in a way I cant really explain so well. It was about this time I had just gotten to the point where i was thinking I didnt want to be alone anymore and i knew there was still love in me to give. Now I had been toying with the idea of dating again for the previous half year or so prior to this time and had been on some online sites and just getting used to the idea I think was most of it. Well you all know the story more or less of me being instantly smitten when this one Beautiful Brit asked me one day if i would like to write sometime! From the mosment i read the first words from her I knew we were meant for each other, and that day I fell in love, whetehr I admitted it to myself or not, I felt that thunder like the hand of God had laid on me! :) and I just knew it… well Easter that year was on the 16th of April (no I didnt remember it, I looked it up.. lol) I had met Alsion on April 5th.. and after a couple of weeks of ‘talking’ by mail i wanted to say hi to her, so I made a short video doing just that saying Hi and Happy Easter. I was outside in the yard making the vid and there were several takes from different spots in the yard. Oh you know I am not sure now the exact day that bush first bllomed, of course its a gradual thing to begin with, and I think it may ahve stared getting ready to bllom a couple of weeks before I met Alison so I cant say for sure now the actual day I realized it was going to finally have flowers, well its not imprtant, that bit of which day I realized it, only that I remember feeling happy about it and was wondering if Gretchen had something to do with it, blooming I mean… well the whole idea made me happy and I think it was from the day I did the video that it came to me to look them up online to see if I could identify what bush it was.. well I found out easy enough with it blooming now.. but what I read about the lilac and its flower meaning just blew me away! Oh I cant rememebr the site I was on then I first read it, but they are all similar I think,

from Teleflora.com The story of lilac, according to Greek mythology, begins with a beautiful nymph named Syringa (lilac’s botanical name). Captivated by her beauty, Pan, the god of the forests and fields, chased Syringa through the forest. Frightened by Pan’s affections, Syringa escaped him by turning herself into an aromatic bush – the flower we now refer to as lilac.

The 8th wedding anniversary flower and the state flower of New Hampshire (symbolizing the hardy character of the Granite State’s citizens), lilacs are frequently considered a harbinger of spring, with the time of their bloom signaling whether spring will be early or late. In the language of flowers, purple lilacs symbolize the first emotions of love, while white lilacs represent youthful innocence.

The first emotions of Love! Well there it was like another bolt of lightening from the sky hitting me! If ever there was a sign sent to me, that was it! Oh some may say its just coincidence, but to me it was our Angels saying , here is the One for you :) and I have never doubted it and only believe it stronger to this day. Oh I’m not good enough with words to convey the emotion I felt… no.. the emotion I still feel to this day. Well the lilacs are in bloom once more and I am more in love than ever before! I love you baby! XX I DO! <3

Holiday Pics

admin — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 02:02:00 +0000

Our Holiday Photos from May 11th through May 27th 2007 are all online to share with our families and friends. We had the most wonderful holiday together, turning out just as we knew it would, with no doubts that we are meant to be together always! :)
You can see them all here in Alison’s Picasa Web Albums. Please feel free to leave any comments!

From Ocean to Ocean

garazon — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 14:29:00 +0000

by Marguerite Schrader

They are two people drawn together by an unseen power. A bond from a distance, only they know the reason.
Love has an intensity as still as a calm night or as savage as a raging storm.
That is the need.
Together they are one, alone no more.
A light comes into their hearts to make them alive.
Aware of life and living again in a complacent world. Strangers for a time, until their souls reach out and touch one another.
The knowledge of a lifetime is passed between them.
Sharing the joys, the tribulations, the expectations is a new experience.
Strangers no more, caring begins.
With familiarity comes laughter to brighten the spirit and lighten the heart.
An understanding, that words cannot express, spreads across the miles and friendship commences.
They wonder at this new found level of love.
They revel at the very thought of hands caressing and lips touching from ocean to ocean.
The beauty of love is seen as an oasis in the desert of loneliness.
They know where to look and what to say.
They understand the workings of the mind to protect from pain.
It is all so new and yet so easy.
Heaven on earth can be love.
It can be friendship.
It can be understanding and compassion.
Most of all it is giving.
They gave of each other for each other’s happiness.
And together they found everything.