Goodbye 2009

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne."
- Robert Burns

2009 Events:

Feb:  Purchased 2004 Crossfire w/17,700 miles.
Mar:  Nina got new desk-top computer.
June:  Keziah got a trip to Disneyland w/her Dad. 
         Sabrina got a new job as a receptionist.
         Back deck is finally done!  
          My father passed away on the 24th.
July:  Dale got a small raise in spite of the recession. 
         Grandbaby was born on the 12th - Luke.
Aug:  Took a week trip to Las Vegas.
Sept:  My brother passed away on the 19th. 
Oct:  Dale got a new laptop computer.
Nov:  Jordache got a new job as a marketer.
         Sabrina hit her weight loss goal - 30 lbs.
Dec:  Vacationed in Ocean Shores for a week. 

What a year.  Looking toward 2010 with anticipation!

Boy, Do I Know My Guy!

1. What's he doing right now? Riding his bicycle to town to run some errands.

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Vinegar and oil or Italian dressing.

3. What's one food he doesn't like? ONIONS! and peanut butter.

4. When you go out to eat, what drink does he order? He drinks a variety of liquids, he doesn't like to get in a rut.

5. Where did he go to high school? Curtis High School, University Place, Tacoma WA

6. What size shoe does he wear? Usually a Size 10, occasionally a 1/2 size up or down depending on the make/brand.

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? Well, he has a collection of hot wheels. If money was no object, he'd collect old cars.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? #1 Italian sub, occasionally he'll order a club, Rueben, or Monte Cristo.

9. What would this person eat every day if he could? Wood- fired thin-crust pepperoni pizza with fresh tomatoes, artichokes, and jalapenos.

10. What is his favorite cereal? Kellogg's Raisin Bran or Walmart's brand of raisin bran.

11. What would he never wear? The color pink and Speedos

12. What is his favorite sports team? NBA: Portland Trailblazers; MLB: Seattle Mariners; NFL: Seahawks; College: UnivAla or UW

13. Who will he vote for? Conservative Republican or any other fiscally conservative.

14. Who is his best friend? That would be me of course. Who else?

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? Stay up late. He likes to wake up at 6:00am or even earlier.

16. How many states has he lived in? Two: Only one year in AL, the rest in Washington St.

17. What is his heritage? He's a mutt: 1/4 Italian, 1/4 Czech, 1/8 German, and some English.

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? He likes white/yellow cake with cherry frosting.

19. Did he play sports in high school? Yes, he was on the cross-country team, member of the 10,000 mile club, & ran 5 marathons!.

20. What could he spend hours doing? This question is really asking what he loves to do.
1. Sitting on our new deck, enjoying the scenery, listening to music
2. Scanning the internet for interesting sites/deals: ebay, Craigslist,...
3. Watching TV on his big-screen in the media room: sports, concerts,...

Things That Attract Me to My Guy

The following is in no particular order:

He's a Godly man, giving Him credit for accomplishments.

He lives by ethical/biblical principles.

He's inspirational. I enjoy his company, he's fun to be with.

He solves all my problems, he always knows what to do.

He makes me feel like the most special gal in the world.

He's compassionate, good-hearted, and a good listener.

He's brilliant, competent and intelligent.

He's easy on my eyes! Yeah, I said it.

He's professional and sacrifices to provide for me.

He's totally committed to our marriage.

He's ambitious and driven, full of good ideas.

He makes solid, wise decisions.

He's considerate, patient, and tactful.

He's organized, a born list-maker.

Can you see why I'm so in love with my husband?

Summer Setting

The grass is greener, the sun is brighter, and the days are longer, yes summer is upon us with all its joy and vibrancy. To me, summer means barefoot children playing tag, dashing through sprinklers, and selling lemonade. It means sunny days, blue skies, bountiful gardens, bike rides, beach trips, fresh peaches, tasty watermelon, home-made ice cream, roses, and socializing.

I love these late evenings outdoors on my new back porch deck. My husband stained and hung up our porch swing. My father bought it for me years ago as a house warming present. My parents drove across the U.S. to visit us. We had bought our first home. It had a covered back porch. It bothered him that it didn't have a porch swing. He went out and purchased one and hung it up for me. If you knew my dad, you'd know he's not free with his money. So, the porch swing has a tender place in my heart, knowing that he freely gave this gift to me.

I love looking out my front windows to our lovely garden yard. The window box is starting to mature and fill in nicely. Everything looks so gorgeous and lush right now. Dale does a wonderful job of keeping it looking pristine. He not only mows, he leaf blows the grass, power washes the paths, edges the walkways, trims the bushes, and pulls weeds. Luckily, we have a built-in sprinkler system. All we have to do is program it to come on at certain times and the lawn gets watered automatically.

I associate watermelon with summer. I love eating sweet red watermelon, juice dripping from my mouth and hands, and spitting seeds to my heart's content (only time its O.K. for a lady to spit). Summer is a cause for gatherings. Be sure to take time for friends and family, later on, you won't look back and regret it.