IT'S FINALLY HERE

This morning was quite a time.  I had a meeting at the Parkway Central library and I HAD to go.  We got an email yesterday reminding us.  *Sigh*  These meetings are always so boring.  And this one was no different.  The room was hot, the speakers boring and several of us were having a hard time staying awake -- me included.  I kept moving around in my seat and drinking my water.  The best thing about it was talking to my friends during the break and eating a doughnut.  I had to get up an hour early to make it on time too.  Fortunately one of the other Library Assistant Supervisors offered to drive, so five of us went together and put in to pay for parking.  That was nice.

I went home for lunch after the meeting since it was on the way to work.  I finally got to work at 2:00 p.m.  I had SO MUCH to do before leaving for vacation and only 3 hours to do it.  Somehow I got all of the important stuff done and most of the other stuff.  I was glad that my staff was there to help me.

I was so tired tonight I couldn't even make dinner.  I took a little nap and then got up to see what Joe wanted to do for dinner.  He suggested we go to IHOP, so that's what we did.  There were only two other tables occupied since we got there so late.  The food and service were both good.  Our IHOP was pretty bad for awhile and we stopped going to it.  But some new people bought the franchise and now it is really good.  We go about every two weeks or so and they are starting to recognize us when we come in and give us really good service.  I had tilapia with red skin potatoes and broccoli.  Joe had chocolate chip pancakes.  Yum.

I promised you a picture of the candleholder I got for free at Rite Aid yesterday.  It's really pretty.  The picture doesn't do it justice.

Well, I am finally on vacation and so looking forward to having a break this week.  I plan on sleeping in tomorrow.  I'm so tired. 

Here are today's pictures of our fourth wedding anniversary.  We went back to Ocean City, NJ.  The weather was much better than the last time we were there.  And Joe wasn't sick this time.  No, I was.  This was right before I had my stomach surgery.  I wasn't able to eat more than two tablespoons of food at a time twice a day at this point.  I was literally starving to death.  I really did not expect to live through the surgery I was facing because I was REALLY sick.  I asked to go to the shore because I wanted to go there one last time before I died.   I was so happy to be there.

When we first got there I tried to take a picture of us together.  A lady came along the boardwalk and offered to take our picture.  That was so nice of her!

Mack & Manco is a famous pizza place in Ocean City.  Their pizza is so good!  I was able to eat half of a slice and that was a lot for me.  The two families split up this year after being in business together for 45 years.  It's now called Manco & Manco.

Of course seagulls are everywhere.  This guy kept posing for me.  When I started to turn away, he squawked until I took his picture.  Then he flew off.

I love this picture.  I really should blow up some of these shots and frame them.

These robotic figures were on top of a building housing pinball machines and other games.

Here's a picture of the building.

You can see how windy it was, but at least we didn't have to wear coats like we did three years earlier.

Another nice shot of the ocean.

We had never been on the boardwalk at night before.  I was surprised at the energy there is after dark.

The next day we wanted to go to the beach but had forgotten our umbrella.  So Joe went and bought one.  Because it was the end of the season everything was half priced or less.  We got a bargain.

I waited so long on the beach to get this shot.  I have the bird, the pier and a wave.  So nice.  Another one I should frame.

Here I am on the beach.

Joe looks really happy to be at the shore.

The beach was crowded even in September.  I'm glad we got to go there.