I have two...Nick and Ed...I've already introduced you to Nick...now meet Ed.
We've shared a lot of good times with Ed and Marty. They live in Eden Prairie, Mn. and when we lived in Chicago we were able to visit more often. Now that we are back in Texas (and they are still in Mn.) and we're too old to make the drive and too broke to fly we're unable to see one another. They're grandparents now and Ive never seen Vicki and Andy's children!!! :(...wrong...I did see Nathan when he was 2 or 3 years old...maybe 2003 or '04. That's the last time I've seen them.
When we did visit they always were such great hosts...showing off the beauty of their state, etc. We enjoyed good time in Wisconsin at their "other" home..exploring the lake in the "fast boat" or just tooling around in the paddle boats. We were able to spend two Christmas's and Thanksgivings together. I especially remember the good food that Marty cooked. She liked to cook and entertain and we always enjoyed lovely breakfasts' served with nice wine... The first time I ever had fondue was at their house...this was back in the early 70's, I guess, and I had never heard of it. She would make chocolate fondue's to have with fruit and cheese fondue's to have with veggies.
They came to Texas three or four times but now that they have grand-children they stay close to home. I miss them.
Enjoy the video of some of our times together.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Earth's Last Picture
I happened upon a lovely blog this am while "blog surfing"...(http://tinasteelelindseyart.blogspot.com/), ...and copied this Kipling quote from her. She is a very talented artist and I so enjoyed viewing her works, as well as her fathers'.
"When Earth's last picture is painted
and the tubes are twisted and dried
When the oldest colors have faded
and the youngest critic has died
We shall rest, and faith, we shall need it
lie down for an aeon or two
'Till the Master of all good workmen
shall put us to work anew
And those that were good shall be happy
they'll sit in a golden chair
they'll splash at a ten league canvas
with brushes of comet's hair
They'll find real saints to draw from
Magdalene, Peter, and Paul
they'll work for an age at a sitting
and never be tired at all.
And only the Master shall praise us
and only the Master shall blame
And no one will work for the money
no one will work for the fame
But each for the joy of the working,
and each in his separate star,
will draw the thing as he sees it,
for the God of things as they are!"
Rudyard Kipling
"When Earth's last picture is painted
and the tubes are twisted and dried
When the oldest colors have faded
and the youngest critic has died
We shall rest, and faith, we shall need it
lie down for an aeon or two
'Till the Master of all good workmen
shall put us to work anew
And those that were good shall be happy
they'll sit in a golden chair
they'll splash at a ten league canvas
with brushes of comet's hair
They'll find real saints to draw from
Magdalene, Peter, and Paul
they'll work for an age at a sitting
and never be tired at all.
And only the Master shall praise us
and only the Master shall blame
And no one will work for the money
no one will work for the fame
But each for the joy of the working,
and each in his separate star,
will draw the thing as he sees it,
for the God of things as they are!"
Rudyard Kipling
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
unexpected pleasures
It's such a delight to go to the mailbox and find an unexpected gift. Lorie asked for our mailing address some time ago and said that she was sending me "a little something"...but with everything going on the last 10 days I forgot!
So today I found the surprise. A delightful little book titled "A Walk With Me' by Gwen Frostic. It's prose is easily read, understood and appreciated..and it's pictures are gentle and expressive. Here is a sample:
"Follow the path of a stone...that rolls along the beach
Follow the flight of an eagle...as he soars in the sky above
Follow the trail of the wind...that blows through the top of the trees
Follow the song of a thrush...when evening comes to earth
Follow God's moon in the heavens...till it sinks below the lake
and your heart will be filled with wonder...
and your years will be ever inspired"
In other words "Enjoy the little things in life because you may someday look back and realize that they were the big things".
Thank you Lorie for reminding me of that!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Nick and JoAnn come to Dallas
It was a fast weekend that included: Fri: a hamburger and rootbeer at Del's in Richardson (a small, old place that makes great hamburgers and offers lots of "Texas" atmosphere), Sat. Breakfast at Hubbards in Garland (another old place where the main attraction is the cute, young servers) then a 75 mile drive over to Canton to visit the Shireys, Sun: out to DFW for a one hour visit with Greg (who was enroute from Virginia to San Diego) next lunch at Steak and Shake...then the bro and sis were off to Houston...I slept the remainder of the afternoon.
Nick, JoAnn and I stayed at Eddie's..his home is much larger than ours ...he had to go to Austin Fri. am but returned late Sat. night in time to have a little time with Nick and JoAnn. Herk also spent a lot of time with us...it was a nice weekend.
Nick, JoAnn and I stayed at Eddie's..his home is much larger than ours ...he had to go to Austin Fri. am but returned late Sat. night in time to have a little time with Nick and JoAnn. Herk also spent a lot of time with us...it was a nice weekend.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Thought for the day
Age is opportunity no less
Than youth itself, though in another dress,
And as the evening twilight fades away
The sky is filled with stars invisible by day.
....by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Wrinkles
My wrinkles are…
. . . . Every time I squinted to see something just a little better
. . . . Every time I laughed--positive moments
. . . . Every time the warm sun poured over my face
Making me feel full and content
All those roads, valleys, streets, and alleys
Beginning to form on the map of my face
Are all bountiful rivers of my memories and experiences
I love them. I need them. I think I'm going to keep them.
. . . . Every time I squinted to see something just a little better
. . . . Every time I laughed--positive moments
. . . . Every time the warm sun poured over my face
Making me feel full and content
All those roads, valleys, streets, and alleys
Beginning to form on the map of my face
Are all bountiful rivers of my memories and experiences
I love them. I need them. I think I'm going to keep them.
On Aging
The Human Seasons by John Keats
Four Seasons fill the measure of the year;
There are four seasons in the mind of man:
He has his lusty Spring, when fancy clear
Takes in all beauty with an easy span:
He has his Summer, when luxuriously
Spring's honeyed cud of youthful thought he loves
To ruminate, and by such dreaming high
Is nearest unto Heaven: quiet coves
His soul has in its Autumn, when his wings
He furleth close; contented so to look
On mists in idleness—to let fair things
Pass by unheeded as a threshold brook:—
He has his Winter too of pale misfeature,
Or else he would forego his mortal nature.
Here I am in my four seasons of life :)
Four Seasons fill the measure of the year;
There are four seasons in the mind of man:
He has his lusty Spring, when fancy clear
Takes in all beauty with an easy span:
He has his Summer, when luxuriously
Spring's honeyed cud of youthful thought he loves
To ruminate, and by such dreaming high
Is nearest unto Heaven: quiet coves
His soul has in its Autumn, when his wings
He furleth close; contented so to look
On mists in idleness—to let fair things
Pass by unheeded as a threshold brook:—
He has his Winter too of pale misfeature,
Or else he would forego his mortal nature.
Here I am in my four seasons of life :)
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The boys in my life
Last week they had exams...their schedules were changed and they had a lot of time off. Brian had half day only on Wed. and Thurs. and they both had no school at all on Friday....we drove to Canton and had lunch with Ben, Laura, Heather and Summer...enjoyed that time together.
Monday is another day off for MLK holiday.
They spent Thursday night with us. Brian stayed busy ...putting rope lights over my kitchen cabinets and helping me put up more "wall words"...Bobby stayed entertained on the computer (as usual).
Monday is another day off for MLK holiday.
They spent Thursday night with us. Brian stayed busy ...putting rope lights over my kitchen cabinets and helping me put up more "wall words"...Bobby stayed entertained on the computer (as usual).
Thursday, January 15, 2009
It's All About Me, Me, Me
Top Ten Things I'd like to do.
1. Have an all day shopping spree in Hobby Lobby or Super Target with at least one timeout at Starbucks.
2. Spend hours on my computer without feeling guilty.
3. Know what I'm going to prepare for supper without having to think about it.
4. Visit the Movie Trading Company and buy all the DVD's I'd like.
5. Have a manicure and a pedicure at least once a month.
6. Be able to go to Canton's First Monday and walk instead of ride in a motorized chair.
7. Go back in time (just for a week) to when I first met Bob. (WOW)
8. Eat what I'd like without gaining weight.
9. See my mother again.
10 View what's at the end of the rainbow.
1. Have an all day shopping spree in Hobby Lobby or Super Target with at least one timeout at Starbucks.
2. Spend hours on my computer without feeling guilty.
3. Know what I'm going to prepare for supper without having to think about it.
4. Visit the Movie Trading Company and buy all the DVD's I'd like.
5. Have a manicure and a pedicure at least once a month.
6. Be able to go to Canton's First Monday and walk instead of ride in a motorized chair.
7. Go back in time (just for a week) to when I first met Bob. (WOW)
8. Eat what I'd like without gaining weight.
9. See my mother again.
10 View what's at the end of the rainbow.
Remembering Barbara in many special ways....
Tomorrow's her birthday so I've been remembering...
A cold, January day in Little Rock, a new baby with siblings not yet 2 and 3 years old!
A pretty little girl who turned out to be "the middle child", but would hold her own with the best of them....
A teenager experiencing the early 70's in California....
The "flower-child"...with fishnet on the ceiling, wine bottles filled with candles, paper flowers, and the "Love Story" poster...
Falling in love with David and breaking away to be on her own ...leaving family behind and moving across the country at the age of 18.
The young wife...getting her GED and Beauty School diplomas...
The hard-working mother...starting her own business while raising two children...
A faithful wife...encouraging and supportive...
A beautiful young woman who knows when to be serious and when to have a good time.
The smart, successful business woman who is honest, fair and helpful to her emloyees.
The devoted Christian woman....living out the "fruit of the spirit"....
The proud grandmother of three little boys...
A daughter who is devoted to her family, friends and parents.
God is so good!
A cold, January day in Little Rock, a new baby with siblings not yet 2 and 3 years old!
A pretty little girl who turned out to be "the middle child", but would hold her own with the best of them....
A teenager experiencing the early 70's in California....
The "flower-child"...with fishnet on the ceiling, wine bottles filled with candles, paper flowers, and the "Love Story" poster...
Falling in love with David and breaking away to be on her own ...leaving family behind and moving across the country at the age of 18.
The young wife...getting her GED and Beauty School diplomas...
The hard-working mother...starting her own business while raising two children...
A faithful wife...encouraging and supportive...
A beautiful young woman who knows when to be serious and when to have a good time.
The smart, successful business woman who is honest, fair and helpful to her emloyees.
The devoted Christian woman....living out the "fruit of the spirit"....
The proud grandmother of three little boys...
A daughter who is devoted to her family, friends and parents.
God is so good!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Siblings are coming...........
My crazy brother, Nick, and sister, JoAnn, will be here from Houston the weekend of the 23rd.!!! Can't wait to see them. It's been seven months since I was down there.
I say "crazy" brother 'cause that's what he is :) He's so much fun...always makes me laugh. (I love him dearly) And when he gets together with my two sons it can be hilarious...they pick on each other and see who can be the silliest. It's nice to see that from a 48, 54 and 63 year old!
To pause the slideshow below,and see the captions, drag the mouse over the pictures.
I say "crazy" brother 'cause that's what he is :) He's so much fun...always makes me laugh. (I love him dearly) And when he gets together with my two sons it can be hilarious...they pick on each other and see who can be the silliest. It's nice to see that from a 48, 54 and 63 year old!
To pause the slideshow below,and see the captions, drag the mouse over the pictures.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Day One of my 75th. year....
What a wonderful day it was yesterday!!! I spent the afternoon with 16 of my closest friends :)...Eddie, Herk, Karen, Kristi, Rusty, Kellin, Joey, Jacob, "Moose", Laura, Heather, Summer, Benjamin, Kiley, Gabriel and my Bob. We met at the Olive Garden and then most of us went to our apartment (wow)...I needed someone tall (Heather) to put up some "wall words" for me...She did a fine job....the little kids didn't seem to mind being in such a confined place for about an hour....and the guys were entertained (as always) with football...altho they did have to peek around Heather as she was streatched out, leaning against the wall in front of the TV.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Rest In Peace...
"We are such spendthrifts with our lives. The trick of living is to slip on and off the planet with the least fuss you can muster. I'm not running for sainthood. I just happen to think that in life we need to be a little like the farmer, who puts back into the soil what he takes out."
Paul Newman
Jan. 26, 1925 - Sept. 26, 2008
Thursday - Day 6 in Alabama...and the first day of 2009
Our last day here :(
David's sister, Sandy spent the night with us... we enjoyed a visit with her while sharing a nice breakfast and enjoying a leisurely morning .. . Laura Leigh and Barb were both "off" today.... While Barb and her dad took a walk...I removed all the ornaments from the Christmas tree...
We then went to the Veterans Home to visit David's dad, Mr. Gentle.
What can I say about this????? Three years ago he had a stroke that has slowly taken away his ability to stand or walk... caused his memory to fade...and now, due to diabetes and bed sores that won't heal, he has lost both his legs.
I can say "Thank you God for people who administer care to someone who is suffering..thank you God for drugs that ward off pain...thank you God that he has a place like this where he can be watched over, cared for, and not alone. Thank you God that he has a family who show him love. spend time with him and bring their little ones for visits...some of whom he has no memory of but is always happy to see. Thank you God that he knows you and will spend eternity in heaven reunited with his wife."
I can also regret that he has to go through this and wonder why? Tennyson reminds us that "ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do and die" ...and Solomon tells us that "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."
Time and chance has come to PawPaw.
God bless you, Mr. Gentle
March 2005
Tonight our company consisted of two of the girls who work for Barbara...Judy and Maggie, her husband and little boy...along with the Watson's (LL, Jason and the boys)and the younger Gentle family (Ben, Mamas and little David). I napped while LL and Barb prepared supper which included blackeyed peas for the New Year.
David's sister, Sandy spent the night with us... we enjoyed a visit with her while sharing a nice breakfast and enjoying a leisurely morning .. . Laura Leigh and Barb were both "off" today.... While Barb and her dad took a walk...I removed all the ornaments from the Christmas tree...
We then went to the Veterans Home to visit David's dad, Mr. Gentle.
What can I say about this????? Three years ago he had a stroke that has slowly taken away his ability to stand or walk... caused his memory to fade...and now, due to diabetes and bed sores that won't heal, he has lost both his legs.
I can say "Thank you God for people who administer care to someone who is suffering..thank you God for drugs that ward off pain...thank you God that he has a place like this where he can be watched over, cared for, and not alone. Thank you God that he has a family who show him love. spend time with him and bring their little ones for visits...some of whom he has no memory of but is always happy to see. Thank you God that he knows you and will spend eternity in heaven reunited with his wife."
I can also regret that he has to go through this and wonder why? Tennyson reminds us that "ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do and die" ...and Solomon tells us that "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."
Time and chance has come to PawPaw.
God bless you, Mr. Gentle
March 2005
Tonight our company consisted of two of the girls who work for Barbara...Judy and Maggie, her husband and little boy...along with the Watson's (LL, Jason and the boys)and the younger Gentle family (Ben, Mamas and little David). I napped while LL and Barb prepared supper which included blackeyed peas for the New Year.
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