Connie, Craig, Stacey, Will at Nicoletta’s.
Pensive.
Cancun, Mexico.
Ava.
Elise.
Elise & Ava.
Elise.
Ava & Elise, horsing around.
Elise, son Scott, Ava at the Royal Sands pool.
Tag: Ava Wilson
Ava Wilson (and friend).
Elise Wilson (and friend).
I admit that I have been on vacation. Cancun beckoned, but, sadly, the perfect weather and laid-back vibe at the Royal Resorts is giving way to the advancing heat of Texas, where a giant rat snake was recently pictured climbing a wall near our house. I enjoyed the remarks from the neighborhood group, who pointed out that it was a harmless rat snake, but also asked, “Which way did it go?”
I wanted to share these photos of Ava and Elise, because they look absolutely beautiful in them–even though they are from a year ago. This is what a sophomore in high school looks like, Folks.
Meanwhile, the full moon over the Veranda restaurant with the daughter sets a mood.
It’s been real and it’s been 30 years of home away from home.
Puerto Madeiro restaurant.
Stacey and me, Veranda Restaurant, Royal Sands
We’ve been in Cancun for a week, a week which ended today.
It’s hard to describe the beauty of Cancun in words; pictures do a much better job.
There were eleven of us until today, when departures took place.
I am posting some photos of our week, to date, with more to come.
Ava, me, Stacey, Elise (windy!).
Elise and Ava (in pink) at the Royal Sands.
Elise, (Aunt) Stacey, and Ava at Captain’s Cove.
Craig, Stacey, Connie,
Wrigley the dog, Elise and Ava
My apologies to those of you who have checked my blog routinely and have found nothing new.
I learned I have cancer (via biopsy) on December 10th. Quite frankly, it has thrown me for a loop. I was advised to cancel my hostessing of close to 20 people at my house, but I went ahead, anyway, and surgery is imminent.
My sister-in-law thanked my husband for his efforts in hosting the Dec. 24th and Dec. 25th event, which went on until 3 a.m. one night and 2 a.m. the other.
News flash: I did all the planning, purchasing, and cooking. The health risks, for me, were considerable because of Covid. My surgeon suggested that I not do it. [Next time, maybe mention me, as well?]
I have seen quite a few of the movies out now and will return tomorrow with comments about: “West Side Story;” “Licorice Pizza;” “C’mon, C’mon;” and others.
Again, my apologies to faithful readers. Oh! And good wishes in the health category are always appreciated. Those were also in short supply.
My twin granddaughters, Ava (the brunette) and Elise (the blonde) were with Mom and Dad in England and France this past week. True, they missed one week of fourth grade in Austin, Texas, but who among you would say they would have learned more during the last week of school at Baranoff Elementary than they did visiting Europe? (I actually said that the last week of any school should be avoided at all costs by everyone, if possible.)
My son’s job headquarters (steel company PSI) are in Berlin, Germany, so their engineer father (Scott) decided that his chemical engineer wife (Jessica) and the girls, age 10, should fly across the pond and visit the sights. Because Scott previously worked for a British steel firm, he has colleagues who are British and one generously offered them lodging for a week in England.
I asked the girls on the phone what their biggest impression of England was and the answer was, “They talk funny.”
I’d like to be able to tell you of ALL the places they’ve visited, but I can’t remember them all. Not to worry: Nanna Connie has requested comparison/contrast essays on England versus France and the girls are keeping journals.
It is worth mentioning that, during their time in England and France, Teresa May resigned and, last I heard, Macron of France was losing to LePen. (Do you think they know this? No? Oh, OK.)
Ava (Wilson) and I sign books on October 30th at Barnes & Noble in Davenport's Northpark Mall.
After over 6 years of hard work, 3 publishers, and many other aggravations, my new nonfiction book It Came from the ’70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now is nearly ready. Advanced reader copies have arrived and only Quad City residents will have the opportunity to see the book “up close and personal” at a benefit for the Midwest Writing Center to be held at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Northpark Mall on Saturday, December 4th, 2010, from 1:30 p.m. until whenever everyone else has left. I am arriving late, due to an appearance at the East Moline Public Library that will start at Noon and end about 1:00 p.m….just when the other E.M. authors are arriving. It is always thus.
I’ll be there with copies of my new movie book of 50 reviews written for the Quad City Times between 1970 and 1979, with 76 photos, major cast and trivia. The book is not self-published, but put out by a small independent publisher in Rhode Island (“The Merry Blacksmith) and you can see it on Amazon.com with a “peek inside” feature there.
It’s really a sweet book, if I do say so myself (and I do) and, after the appearances at the library and bookstore, I’m going to be traveling with the book to a Family Video store near you.
First appearance will be on Friday, December 10th, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. I’ll be there signing books and, if you buy one, your name, address, phone number and e-mail will be entered into a drawing for $50 of free movie passes at the local theater of your state (Rave or Escape). The drawing for the winner(s) (one per state) will not take place until just before the Academy Awards (Feb. 27).
Why such a long delay? Because I hope to visit still more Family Video stores after we return from Florida, which will be for 2 weeks in February, before the Oscars.
Other appearances between now and Christmas that will earn you a spot (one entry per book purchase) for the free ticket drawing will be held on Saturday, December 11th, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Family Video store in Moline (12th Avenue) and Saturday, December 18th, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Family Video store on North Division in Davenport, Iowa. I have been assured that the video stores, themselves, may have some “specials” for you, as well. So, come on out and get an autographed copy of this unique book for that movie buff in your family.
The book is not (yet) available as an e-book. We’re working on it, but it will not have as many pictures as an e-book, so this is the book you want. Again, take a look at the “peek inside” feature on Amazon.com and you can see, for yourself, the quality of the contents, including about half new articleson movies like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “The Godfather” (1 and 2), the films of Woody Allen, etc. There were so many great films in the ’70s that I can’t begin to list them all here, but the Table of Contents on Amazon will give you an idea.
I will have my other books with me…everything from “Hellfire & Damnation’ (www.HellfireandDamnationtheBook.com) to the three-book trilogy of ghost stories set along Route 66 (www.GhostlyTalesofRoute66.com).
But you can only get the book signed at one of the events listed above, and it is nominated, right now, for 3 awards (to be awarded in late May.)
The old saying is: “Let sleeping babies lie,” and we don’t mess with that when on vacation here in sunny Mexico. Ava Wilson…surely a dead ringer for the Gerber’s baby…is dead to the world, with finger strategically placed on left cheek. And that’s exactly the way we left her until she woke up, poolside.
Elise Wilson, (Ava’s 14-month old twin), has that clasped corpse-hand thing going on as she sleeps on her side of the double stroller. All that fresh air will do a girl in, especially if she’s as fair as Elise, who is the blonde to Ava’s dark-haired beauty. (Check out the “Dora the Explorer” hats!)
This blonde is a slightly older model, wearing bunny ears on Easter. I read somewhere that it was “all the rage” on Easter for cute girls like this one to post such pics on Facebook and elsewhere. This one’s just to say, “Come on in! The water’s fine!”
And Happy Easter!
We’re here on the beach at the Royal Sands, and Ava and Elise seem to have taken to the native culture.
Our trip will be cut short by about 2 days as a result of my passport going missing at O’Hare on Saturday. (Never was found.) Fortunately, on Monday, we learned all you ever didn’t want to know about what you have to do if you have a passport that is lost or stolen. Thankfully, we were not abandoned in Canada (yes, Canada) with no jackets and only summer-weight clothes, which might have happened, has I not discovered the MIA passport just as we were to board to fly to Ottawa (Canada) from Chicago and then transfer to Air Canada to fly to Cancun. I can hear you saying, “Wh-a-a-a-a-t?” Such is the world of “free” air miles.
As a result of the loss of the passport, we spent 4 days in Chicago sorting everything out and ended up buying the more “direct” route, AND, since I shared the news of the mishap with the daughter (in NYC), she shared the information that she was on “spring break” right then, and I said, “Well, buy yourself a ticket and ‘Come on down!'” She said, “isn’t it too late?” My response: “I bought 2 tickets at 3 p.m. yesterday for Wednesday at 9 a.m., so I don’t think so!” She ended up flying through Philadelphia and the son and wife and twins (not quite 3 months old) and the daughter (just turned 21) are all here with us…through Saturday, anyway.
We’ve not done too many ‘daring’ things, although there was an attempt to rent jet skiis today, which was foiled by the high winds and treacherous waters. The weather, so far, has been perfect: balmy, a bit windy, but warm. Coolest it has gotten is 79.
Take a look at today’s activity for the little girls. First, it was the Obama Inauguration. Then, it was the Super Bowl. Now, it is watching the ocean while enjoying their favorite beverage.
Life doesn’t get any better than this.
New babies Elise Kiara and Ava Katherine Wilson joined the world on Sunday morning, after starting to be born Friday night. The girls had a big weekend. They were in the process of being born for about 34 hours before Mom Jessica and Dad Scott were able to welcome them into the world (see Scott’s blog at www.wilsonweblink.blogspot. com for pictures and video).
I saw the girls for the first time today, Saturday, January 17th and they are 6 days old in this photograph (Elise is 4 hours older than her chubbier older sister.) Ava weighed in at 6 lbs. 6 oz. and 19 and 1/2 inches. Elise was 5 lbs. 12 oz. and 18 and 1/2 inches. Both girls are doing well at their home in Bridgeport (Chicago), Illinois.
