San Juan Islands 2013

It's true!  We came back again - one year later.  Only this time, I am riding my own motorcycle in the rain, on the hills, with a big heavy back pack on the back.  So far, I have managed to keep everything upright.  Orcas Island is absolutely and positively gorgeous.  The rain has intensified the vibrant colors of the forests and fields.  Open spaces are rare and the winding pine-tree lined roads only open to bursts of small marinas and private docks. Our night on Orcas Island will be spent at the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast Inn.   We are staying on the top floor in the Pelican room with an outside veranda and binoculars for viewing the inland harbor.  How refreshing to have hosts who love what they do.  Their focus is to make our stay as pleasant and memorable as possible.  The hot chocolate and fresh homemade cookies are tickling our senses.

Wings to Fly and Other Gifts.....

It all started the first Valentine's Day after I started dating my future husband; it was a shoe box all wrapped up cute and when opened all of these pink and red paper tissue hearts fluttered out all over the place.  It was so romantic and fun and unexpected from a boy friend but so appropriate because I had already given him my heart.

I am certain that my future husband understood right from the beginning that I always have an opinion and so it was best to pick the ring I liked.  After deciding on the ring we went to a Hawaiian restaurant which seemed a little strange because, upon reflection, the waiter served my desert with a little fortune cookie on the side.  The fortune said, "Confucius say girl who find proposal in fortune cookie should say 'Yes'!"

He told me that he was going to give me a lot of little gifts before our engagement so that I would never expect when I was going to receive my engagement ring.  The date was April 17, 1971 and we were sitting in his little red Chevrolet Corvair in the driveway of my parent's home.  He presented me with a can opener and a 32 ounce can with the lid sealed tightly from the Del Monte factory where he worked.  The outside was covered in paper with cleaver art work done by his sister.  When opened, I found a long chain with little wrapped gifts attached ( I can't remember what all of the gifts meant but I do remember the dime attached inside a giant costume ring.  (a dime in ring).  We laughed and laughed about how I thought this would be my real engagement ring.  At the end of the chain was a pretty handkerchief and knotted in the center was my beautiful diamond engagement ring.

The surprises have continued throughout our married life and seldom correspond to any holiday or celebration.  My favorites are the items attached to the tennis ball hanging from the center of the garage.  The tennis ball allows me to know how far to pull my car in so the garage door will close properly.  I especially like the $money hanging from a clip but the most endearing are the little roses clipped from my garden, place in an empty medicine pill bottle full of water and hanging on the tennis ball clip.  It never fails to prick my heart deep down.  Sometimes the clip has a photo of one of my grand kids that we got in the mail, or a check we have been waiting for.  One day as I returned home from work and pulled into the garage my new motorcycle electric jacket was hanging on the clip.  It always cracks me up to have anything there to brighten my day.

I have laughed my way through our marriage as I have followed the shoe, socks, pants, belt, hat and anything else on the path to our bedroom.  We rate his bed making efforts with a % mark - rarely and only occasionally making it to the 100% mark.   On occasion, the decorative pillows on our bed have been transformed by him to resemble the finest in design creations.

He constantly "buys my chairs" a phrase we picked up from the movie, "Phenomenon" where George Malley secretly buys every chair that Chels creates just so she will feel successful and happy about her efforts.  But most of all, and my most cherished gift is that my sweet companion gives me my wings to fly!

"On the page we live again......."

"On the page we live again, young and unknowing, everything yet to happen."

   -Natasha Solomons "The House at Tyneford" a novel

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In almost every endeavor I  choose to begin, or commitment that I make, I am compelled to discover the "why" behind the promises that I make.    In a way the "why" enhances and adds strength to the time, effort and sometimes passion that ensues.   Making the decision to author this blog really didn't begin with a good understanding of the "why" until today;  The quote by Natasha Solomons, author of "the House at Tyneford" jumped off the page as I read and officially validated  all of the stories and posts that have preceded today's page.        

Busy With Other Things

Sometimes you just have to work your way through life, prioritizing as you go.  I have been learning some new things, organizing a new assignment and getting acquainted with some fabulous women - all of us busy but focusing on the same goal.

While I've been gone from my blogging I have still been collecting thoughts and ideas and quotes. The author of this quote has inspired me to begin again:

"I've built a future by rummaging through the past."

-Thea Beasley/Atlanta Artist

More to come.........

Mary Had A Little Sheep

Amid the dress-up rehearsal of the Nativity, the wearing of Santa hats, Rudolph noses and antlers, the decorating of Christmas cookies, on-going play of dart guns, the tripping over shoes, match-book cars, and baby dolls we have the annual family Christmas program.  After the special Christmas Eve dinner, young and old are welcome to share their talents.  The baby grand piano is the center of attention, and the couches, chairs and dinning table are rearranged to make an area for the stage.  Needless to say, the house is trashed at this point.  Inhibitions are left behind and then begins the piano duets and solos, singing, and guitar playing.   This Christmas Eve we rallied together to make it through all 12 verses of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" accompanied by our 11-year-old male performer.  Then followed the guitar, piano and voice of an unlikely combination of a 15-year-old teenage boy, budding 13-year-old beauty and another 11-year-old male soloist singing "What Child is This".   Next, the 8-year-old (blond curls,all boy) ended his two-hand rendition of "Up On The Housetop" in the midst of applause and whistles.   The crowning finale of the evening before the more non-secular production of the Nativity was our very own, just-turned-5, bright and shining star playing "Mary Had A Little Sheep"; one finger only.  Perhaps you are more familiar with the the "Mary Had A Little Lamb" rendition but our 5-year-old was adamant that she would be playing "Mary Had A Little Sheep".   

The fun and tender moments of Christmas Eve 2012 will be added to the years of collected memories.  The tradition of doing something special the night before Christmas started back in the 70's with our two little pre-school children.  We started capturing the memories in pictures after our third child was born.  Through the years, the costumes for the Nativity have expanded; the aluminum foil star on the stick has been replaced several times, the real-dog-hair stuffed puppy (AKA lamb) has been tucked away for safe-keeping and replaced with a stuffed animal lamb.  The robes have grown in size from little to grown-up.  We have added a hanging star to be turned on at just the right moment, increased the production crew for music, lights and narrative and added 12 grandchildren for cast members.   The evening comes to a close after we conquer the chimes (made from metal conduit pipes cut just the right size for melodic ringing).  Grandma Shelle accompanies the group through "Jingle Bells", "Christmas Bells Are Ringing"  and "O Little Town of Bethlehem".  We kneel in family prayer and then share gifts in the middle of squeals, hugs and kisses.  

Our tradition of making Christmas Eve day and evening something to remember doesn't always have all of the cast members and the itinerary changes from year to year.  Great Grandparents, uncles, aunts, and neighbors have joined in the fun through the years.  Our string-playing orchestra of grandchildren live far away and are creating memories of their own - but when we are all together - there is nothing like it.  Much like the rendition of "Mary Had A Little Sheep"!              

Strawberries and Toast

Now you have to feel close to that child that loves the same things you do.  It is like - if you pour milk over cake and one of your children pours milk over cake then you kind of feel proud-like.  Incidentally, it gags me to eat soggy cake with frosting!  But soaking homemade buttered toast in a bowl of bottled strawberries and juice is another thing all together.  I grew up on strawberries and toast and so each harvest I make certain I have bottled an ample supply for the winter months.  Now I make certain that I have bottled strawberries for the son who loves them just like me.  But it isn't just the love of bottled strawberries that we share - we have a bond that is kind of like a sixth sense;  we understand each other.  I know why he is private and doesn't share every single thing about what is going on in his life or in his thoughts, why he would rather go without if he can't have the best, why he doesn't give the shirt off his back like his dad or brother do, loves to have money, work with sums and figures, be in charge, work hard and play hard, be totally loyal to those he feels close to, be content with life but always looking for a better, more efficient way to do things.  I know these things because he is just like me with a  few good character traits that he picked up from his dad and brother and sister.  He is my child that was, and is, best friends with his brother and best friends with his sister.  Is it normal to take your sister to the "Prom" just 'cause it would be so fun?  And another thing, is it possible to reach 6'4" by just eating cold cereal?  Apparently!  I crack up every time I remember the gray felt floppy hat he insisted on wearing the first three years of his life.  

I am endeared to each of my three children in different ways but that last baby - the one you finally conquered the nursing challenge with, the one everyone spoiled and loved and gave him everything he ever wanted, the one that hung around when the others were gone, the one who continues to honor and bless your life and check on you every few days, the one who loves strawberries and toast.  Yea, that one!

When You Wish Upon A Star

The first time the ship's horn blew out the notes to "When You Wish Upon a Star" I knew we were going to have a great time.  I grew up with the films, music and magic of Walt Disney.  However, I was a mother with three children by the first time I  actually went to Disneyland.    I was a little surprised to find out that it was just a theme park with rides like a carnival but it didn't take long to get absorbed into the vision of Walt Disney.  I often wonder if he even had a clue how immense his dream would become.

We decided that if we were going to go on a cruise for our birthdays then we might as well go on a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas.  Hence, the Bahama Mamas was conceived.  We started saving and planning a year in advance.  We asked our husband's to give us money instead of gifts for every holiday we could think of including Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, 4th of July, etc.  Half way through the cruise and out on the open sea we wished we could have wired home, "Send More Money!"  There were so many things that we wanted to do.

Snorkeling was on our to-do list along with bicycle riding on the islands, sitting on the shore with our toes in the sand, trips to the ship's spa, watching live Disney performances and movies on the big screen and indulging in delectable foods and tropical fruit smoothies.  We laughed 'til we cried, shared our fun with others and dropped into our cabin bed, exhausted, at the end of each day.  You ask, "Were there any kids on the cruise?"  "Yup...Us!  Mother and daughter!  It was a trip to remember".