Family Thanksgiving 2016

Thanksgiving 2016

Front:  Audrey and Shawna

Back, left to right:  Ryan, Blaine, Logan, Regina, Johnny, Angie and Steven

My family

Johnny's sweet grand-niece took the picture.

What a sweet day it has been with too much food although it was all "plain" food, nothing fancy.

All my family was home. 

Thankful for a wonderful time today with the people I love.

I love you.

Almost Home

"60 miles.............almost home", he says.


As a mom I love to hear this.  Almost home.  My baby boy............42 years old.............is coming home.  Long drive from his new address, Ohio, but I will be so happy to see him.  I have wondered all day how his trip home was going and now he's almost home.


Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  He's almost home.


I love you. 

So, Let Me Ask You This

Are you known for a catch phrase?  A phrase you use in almost every conversation?  Well I don't have one either..........  That is I didn't think I had one until it was pointed out to me.


Wednesday morning while my daughter was at our house, we were discussing how often some people repeat certain words.  I said I didn't have one.  Then the hubby pipes up a little too quickly and says, "Oh yes you do.  You say 'So, let me ask you this' all the time."  My daughter gasps and laughs loudly and says "I was going to say that.  Mom, you say that all the time."  Those two had a merry old time with me.


Today at lunch, my daughter asked my grandson if Nana had any phrase she used a lot.  She prompted him and told him it started with 'so'.  The just burst out laughing and said "so, let me ask you this".


For the last two days, I have caught myself saying it or almost saying this phrase a lot.  So I guess I do.  So, let me ask you this.  Do you have a phrase that you use so often that you don't even know you use it?


I love you.

Enchanting Evening Lingers On

Good morning.


I've had my first cup of coffee and now sipping on my second and my fingers are literally flying over the keyboard.


Yesterday, I got my new key for my car.  I told you about that, didn't I?  Misplacing or LOSING my car keys??  I don't know, but the bottom line is they are gone.  Well, the place where we got the key was just across the street from a restaurant where we once ate.  I say ate because we went there once............a little special place that for one, we couldn't afford more than once, and two, they went out of business not long after we ate there.


Oh, what a wonderful little place.  The menu was on a chalkboard easel with only three or four items; the chef's picks which included a nice dessert.  It was an intimate inviting little place with dim lighting and candles on the tables.  (Don't you miss that?  Candles on the tables?  and a quiet place--do you miss that?)


Oh, what a nice evening we had, one that comes to mind even 44 years later.  The table was set with a full silver service arranged next to the plates.............and I'd be lying if I said I knew what those four forks and all those spoons were for, even a spoon at the top of the plate.  But, as far back as 1972, I knew enough to use the outside pieces first so I did okay, although it was a bit intimidating.  The food absolutely delicious and the chocolate mousse was by far, the best thing I'd ever eaten. 


Well, my coffee is wearing off, but the memory of that enchanting evening lingers on........all these years later. 


I love you.


     

I Lost My Keys

Good evening. 


I have been looking, almost non-stop since 12:30, for my car keys.  We have searched high and low and no luck.  We've looked in the car, in the baskets, in the drawers, and in every cupboard.  Even the freezers and refrigerators.  I have even resorted to looking in the sugar jar.  At this point I am beginning to think I have dementia so I am looking in the oddest places.  (Okay, I am joking.........a little...........I think.........maybe.) 


So we have given up the search although every 15 minutes I jump up to search again...........to no avail.  Tomorrow will begin the task of making another key.  I didn't want to waste my cash on a new key, but I sure don't want this to happen again with no extra key on hand.


Today I am reminded of the time mom lost her wedding ring.  She looked high and low, too.  Every person that came to see her for the next month looked for the ring.  Well...............we found it..........
A little too late for mom to know, though.  We found it when going through the sewing machine drawers after she had passed away....................there was the ring.  Sad that she didn't know. 


Here's hoping that I find my keys before my demise. 


I love you.  I gotta get up and hunt keys.

What a Wonderful Day

What a wonderful day...... 


ooh.........it's hot!  It's hot here in Oklahoma.  76 degrees as I type, here at 4:30 p.m., November 15, 2016.  It's not suppose to be hot.  It's November for Pete's sake.  Are we going to wear jackets this year?  I digress.


So what better way to entertain ourselves and little Audrey on an unusually warm day than an impromptu visit to the ZOO.  What a wonderful day for a 2 year-old little gal, running from exhibit to exhibit, slide to slide, playground to playground.  She was so happy all morning, but in her tiny soft little-girl voice she asked if we could go home to Papaw and Nana's house.  So only after a couple hours, she was tucked in her car seat heading for home, her head hanging down, eyes closing from time to time. 


What a day!  We debated about taking her because, let's face it, it does take a bit of effort.  We quickly found out that that bit of effort was the best part of our day.  What a wonderful day.


I love you.  Hope you had a wonderful day, too.


The zoo is changing, lots of renovations, but I could still make out the old landmarks from 1958.  So many memories................  Memories of picnics at the lake..................Memories of the monkey boat....................Memories of Judy the Elephant...............

Craving Italian

Hello.  It is hot in Oklahoma.  How about where you live?  Tomorrow the temperature is suppose to be in the high 70s and 81 on Wednesday.  It sure doesn't make me think of Thanksgiving, but here it is!!!  People, we have about 10 days to get that coveted turkey.  Can you only imagine the chaos of grocery stores this weekend?  I think I will make my way there this week and keep that bird frozen until I thaw it.


For weeks now I have been in a culinary slump.  I can't think of a thing to fix for dinner, but yet, I keep gaining ounces a day which really translates to pounds.  UGH  So tonight (craving Italian) I thought I'd be creative using pre-made ingredients I found in the pantry.  I was feeling like Pioneer Woman.  Marinara over polenta just like the package recommended.  Well............it was a looser.  Oh, it wasn't quite as bad as I go-on.  Each ingredient on its own is pretty good, but the flavor of Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Marinara over Trader Joe's tube of polenta just didn't taste as good as each of one individually.  But the sautéed chicken was good.  Next time............


I loved the marinara even though the hubby said it wasn't the best he's ever had..........hey, he's a man.  What does he know.?


Memory:  We didn't have much Italian food when I was a kid, but mom could make a mean spaghetti with meat sauce using the old Kraft box.  Spaghetti, can of sauce, and a package of cheese.  What more do you need?  You'd open up that can and pour it over the cooked ground beef.  Pour that over cooked spaghetti, and top with that cheese in the silver envelope.  Remember that?  Was that box enough spaghetti for a family of seven?  I guess so because we sure didn't use two boxes.


I love you.  By the way, I am no Pioneer Woman.










   

Still, It's a Decent Day

It's been one of those days.  You ever have one of those days?  It's hard to put my finger on exactly what went wrong, not that everything went wrong. It's just that nothing went exactly as planned.  We sort of jumped off one train and on to another while in motion, but hey, we're still on the train.


As we going to take care of an unexpected task this afternoon, I told the hubby about the great new restaurant my friend and I tried yesterday.  I happened to still have the receipt in my purse so I was ecstatically reviewing the bill and exclaiming that our entrees were a total of $13.98.  That's a great value for lunch.  Then I started figuring the total including our drinks and immediately I noticed that I was overcharged $5.  Now, I am furious that my good deal has now turned out to be an overcharge and a frustration.  THEN after another review of the bill by a second pair of eyes, the hubby told me to take a look at the number 3 below the $13.  "Your entrees were $18.98 not $13.98."  Oh, yes!  Now it all makes sense.  The ink had not imprinted to the paper correctly.  In a matter of 60 seconds I had gone from being ecstatic, to feeling gypped, to feeling I gotten a delicious meal at decent price.


That's the way my day has been; ecstatic one minute, low another, and then realizing it is just one of those days but still, it's a decent day. 


I love you.

A Look Back at a Look Back

October is going out the back door despite the Oklahoma temperatures in the high 70s to mid 80s. 


Tonight I want to share a post I published on October 2, 2011.  Just a look back at a look back.  I hope you enjoy my memories. 


My parents came to dinner one night back in 1981 and I shared the following essay that I had written that week with them.  I could tell Daddy was getting choked up at the end, but true to form he never expressed any emotion.  It just wasn't in his nature to share the emotion of sadness.  He always said there was enough sadness in the world without adding to it so we never even had Dr. Kildare or Ben Casey on in our house.  (Sometimes we girls would sneak a peak if he was not in the house.  He probably knew that.)

In the third paragraph I reference "the hands".  I am talking about the neighbors and local teenage boys.  Since not everyone had a peanut combine, it was important that the neighbors work together going from field to field to ensure that the combine was used at it's maximum potential and that the peanuts were pulled at their peak.  This story was about the earlier days of peanut harvesting when I was very young.  By the time I was 12, the way of harvesting peanuts had changed tremendously.  I will write more about that time in a future post.

I am copying this word for word as I had written it then including the grammar and punctuation - no word processing program in 1981.  Had I written this today, I would have changed it up a lot, but word for word this is how I saw things in 1981.  By the way, according to the last paragraph I was wondering if my own kids would have their own pleasant memories.  Only yesterday, my daughter reminded me of one of her own pleasant childhood memories so I guess we were developing good memories for them after all.

REMEMBER PEANUT HARVEST by Regina Dawkins Tucker 

As I gaze out of windows of my new home this beautiful fall day my mind wanders back to a quieter more serene time in my life - fall peanut harvest!  Oh how those fresh peanuts did smell.  Peanut brittle was just around the corner, which meant the holidays would be coming soon.

Each fall the two-room school I attended let out two weeks for peanut harvest.  The boys had to work in the fields and my brother was no exception.  He drove the tractor which pulled the combine.  My dad was sacking the nuts and Mom had her huge needle and string sewing as fast as she could to keep up with Dad.  I still remember her with her head tied up to keep the dirt out and oh, how they did get dirty.

While the hands were working, Grandma was baby setting and cooking dinner for the hands.  We had a sort of tradition in our community that a huge lunch (we called it dinner then) would be served by the family whose peanuts were being harvested.  Even though it was a busy time for the families of the community, everyone helped each other.  Everyone had to get their peanuts out before frost.  As I think back, I wonder if they didn't help each other just to taste each others' wonderful cooking, especially my grandmother's.

Grandma did not have a large kitchen so we set up a long table in her living room.  The table was covered with wonderful dishes - pot roast, potatoes and gravy, at least a half-dozen vegetables and even homemade dinner rolls.  I always thought of it as another THANKSGIVING DINNER and really I guess it was.  God had been good to us for another year.  He had seen us through planting; hoeing - I did hate to hoe peanuts but we made a lot of money hoeing; drought; and the rainy season....NOW THE HARVEST.

When Grandma finished getting lunch on the table she would send one of us kids to get the hands.  Since I was the oldest I usually got that job.  I remember wading through knee-high grass with the hot sun beaming down on my hair.  Even though the day was hot it still had a feeling of fall in it.  Maybe it was the beautiful fall colors of rust, reds, browns, golds and greens that made it seem cooler than it really was.  My family has always been great admirers of nature's seasons and colors, but I can remember Mom and Dad saying that the most beautiful fall colors are in our own fields at harvest time.

Since Grandma didn't have indoor plumbing all the hands had to wash outside with water from the rain barrel.  Then they would tramp inside and set down at a beautiful table.  Never did I hear Grandma complain about them coming into her house dirty.  She was just thankful that another harvest season was drawing to a close.

When harvest was over for another year we went to town to get material for Mom to sew into dresses, shirts, and jeans.  Sometimes we even got store bought dresses.  What a treat.  At that time we didn't appreciate Mom's talent for sewing.  Now that my sisters and I are grown and have children of our own we finally realize the time and effort it took for her to sew all those beautiful clothes.  Hindsight is really a lot better than foresight.

So as I set here thinking about the "Good Old Days", I wonder if my own children will have pleasant memories of yearly events in their childhood.  I know that they won't have peanut harvest to look back on for we only have five acres not hardly enough to have a garden let alone peanuts.  But just maybe, just maybe they'll remember watching leaves falling from the front window.

   
I love you.


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Higher and Higher

It was only a few years ago that this little boy/young man was on the front porch swinging with me, giggling and begging me to go higher and higher.  So many discussions were held in that old swing, but one of the ones that come to mind today is "when am I going to be 10?"  To him at the tender age of 5, 10 was a long, long, long time away while his much wiser grandmother knew it was just a quick breath away.


A breath away..............and it was proven to me a few days ago how time really is but just a breath away when this young boy, now a much wiser 12 year old, told me he was going to take a shower.  Not one time in the last 12 years has he willingly taken a bath at my house.............and now in his deep voice he tells me he is going to take a shower.  I knew at that moment that things had changed.

Yes, things changed and very quickly.  I am not fully prepared for this.  Will he want to come spend fall break with me next year?  Will he want to sit on the swing with me?  Will he beg me to go higher and higher?  Maybe or perhaps not.  I will just have to adjust because time is NOT going to stand still for me.  But in my heart he will forever be that little 5 year old begging me to go higher and higher. 


I love you.  Always.  Higher and higher.

This Man--His Eyes

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

Just as I posted yesterday, it IS hard to say goodbye and last week we had to say goodbye to one of my favorite relatives.  This man! 

My dad's brother.  My favorite grandma's youngest son.  (If I had a picture of her and my grandpa, I would show you just how much a family resemblance there is; a perfect blend of the two of them.)  And my last uncle.  I could write an entire post on the changing dynamics of my family, but today I want to focus on this man; and his twinkling eyes.





I guess the Dawkins' blood must run true, because this man was a lot like my own daddy.  When he'd call me it would always take me my surprise.  It'd surprise me first of all just for the fact that he'd called.  Second, he would just start talking as if we had already been in conversation for 10 minutes, just like daddy.  I had to catch up quickly and do a lot of mental 'filling in the blanks' to even be on the same page.  And just as quickly as the conversation began, it would be over, and I'd hear the click of the phone, just like daddy.  No need in extra conversation.  He'd said what he needed to say and he was off to do other things.


In recent years we'd see him and my aunt Donna out and about, most often at a restaurant.  As we'd approach them, his eyes would start sparkling, every time, and I could just see that he was going to have a story.  He'd start the conversation as if we had been setting there talking for the last ten minutes and I'd be lying if I didn't say I was often perplexed because it took me a minute to figured out just where he was in thought and words.  The conversation most often started with "one of your relatives...............".  (My mind would be racing to figure out just which relative he was talking about and if I remembered them.)  He was always good for the latest up-to-date story of  a relative and how he kept up with everybody I'll never know.


He pretty much passed away just as he hung up the phone.  I'm glad he didn't have to suffer long, but still I will miss him.  One of the things I will miss most about him are his eyes,  His eyes!  They always reminded me of these lines in "A Visit From St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

So.....................here I am.............writing a little post about a relative (and now uncle, I, too, have a story about a relative).......................a post about my uncle...........a post about his eyes--how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry! 


I love you.


This man could have played Santa and I would have believed that he had just come from the North Pole.  

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

This man--his eyes!


By the way, the lovely woman with him is his daughter. No doubt, huh?  Perhaps she could play Mrs. Claus because she has his same twinkly eyes.




   

It's Hard to Let Go

A lot of events this week have led me think about letting go; whether it is the loss of a loved one, a pet, children going out on their own, or simple bouquets. 


Last week I bought a bouquet of flowers and also was given a bouquet from some new found friends.  This week............well, they just aren't fresh looking and some of the individual flowers had to be culled from the overall bouquets.  Needless to say, tomorrow, additional flowers will be removed.  Nonetheless, it is hard for me to "let go".


So here are some pictures of the remaining flowers............and just like my grandma Dawkins would have done, some flower heads had to be preserved just a tad longer.  So in memory of my grandma, the flowers float gently in their own frames.  It's hard to let go.

 

 

 

 

 

I love you. 

Let's Get This Party Started

It's dark!  Holy cow!  Did you know it is DARK at 6:30?  It has been so long since I was up at 6:30, that I had forgotten what an ungodly hour it is!  Holy cow! 


Indeed I was up this morning at 6:05 and out the door at 6:30.  I had to use my lights, I tell you!  It might as well have been 1:00 a.m.  The last time I was up that early was to go on vacation and I was pumped.  This morning, not so much.  Believe me, there's a big difference in driving for pleasure and driving to a meeting. 


But I'm back home now having my second cup of coffee and ready to start the day..........relatively early compared to yesterday when I was still in the chair at 9:30.  Let's get this party started.


Carpe diem!  that's the coffee talking.


I love you.

Reheat the Coffee

Reheat the coffee.  I've got three sips left.  Isn't it amazing how drinking coffee can be a good excuse to do nothing?  I'm two hours late on getting an early start on my day, but there are three sips of coffee left in my cup.  So...off to the microwave to reheat.  Can't drink cold coffee, but remember, I'm just three sips away from starting my day.


Just as cigarette breaks are a plausible excuse for no productivity, so is my morning coffee.  So here I set, writing a silly blog post about nothing more than my excuse for not getting up and conquering the world.


Well that three sips turned into five.  I'm feeling it!  I'm almost ready!  And here I go!  I've got to mow, use the weed eater, water the flowers, sweep, mop, do homework, slop the hogs, etc. 


I love you!  

These Moments

Well another Saturday has come and gone.  It is just me or does it seem the days just fly by.  Soon my shopping will turn to Christmas, but today it turned to TRADER JOE'S.  In case you think I am going to write about Trader Joe's tonight, you are wrong.  No, a Trader Joe's story requires an entire post all its own.


Tonight I just want to tell you what a great day I have had.  It was a day of shopping with my daughter, but it was more than that.......it was moments, happy, sweet moments.  Home Goods was our first stop and we arrived as the store was opening at 9:30 which was a surprise to us.  We'd talked about what we would do for 30 minutes, but instead we walked right in and pretty much has the store to ourselves for 30 minutes.  We were able discuss and visualized every object without having a cart rammed into our heels to move on.


Then on to Trader Joe's, but I'm not going to go into detail yet........another post.......keep posted.


We went back to collect my little 2 1/2 year old granddaughter for a bit of furniture shopping.  Earlier in the day, that sweet girl had asked in her little girl voice if we were "going to take me".  She was so excited that we came back for her which made me excited, too.  Another moment.  So we ended our shopping day on a perfect note............the note of my granddaughter's happiness.


After I dropped my precious girls off, the radio was softly playing an old Eagles song, somehow perfect for my quiet ride home.  A time for me to reflect on the day, to remember how precious my family is, and to enjoy the twilight of a perfect day.  Another moment.


Every day won't be this perfect, but perhaps I can try a little harder to see that life is about these moments and what we make of them.  I am indeed grateful for these moments.


I love you. 

So We Have Had a Good Day

Good evening family and friends.


Well, we finally......and I do mean finally, got an estimate on painting our house.  It is much more than I ever thought it would be, but it will be done............we hope...........and in a timely manner.........we hope.  Let's just put it out there........we really haven't had much luck with painters in the last few weeks.  Nobody seems hungry enough to even call us back, let alone give us an estimate.  Today, the guy came only one day after he said he would and he was able to give us an estimate in 5 minutes.  We have seen his work since he painted the house across the street........SO...... with fingers crossed, in a few weeks our house will be painted.............finally.............after 38 years.  Let me explain.  No we have not had our house painted in 38 years BECAUSE it is cedar siding and it was in fashion at the time.  Time for some changes.  So we are finally going to paint the house, probably 30 years since it probably needed it.  We did get our value from the cedar.


So, we have had a good day.  You know a lot of purchases of this cost really cause me anxiety, but for some reason I feel really good about our decision.  So, we have had a good day.  Hope you have as well.


I love you.


By the way, we have almost always done our own home maintenance.  Not only has it saved us tons of money throughout the years, but the contractors we have hired often did not do the job as well as we would/could have done ourselves.  So it isn't without a little angst that we signed the dotted line, but we are at the age when we need to watch instead of hold the brush.  And we do NOT need to be on a ladder 20 feet above the ground.

When in Doubt, Throw It Out

Hello on this fine Labor Day--2016.  Our day has been pretty lazy, but hey, we're retired.  I've got some allergies going on so I might as well blog.


When in doubt, throw it out!  I've been cleaning closets which might have caused all the allergies (dust anyone??).  Nothing is more therapeutic for me than getting rid of stuff which has become junk to me.  Last week I started with the pantry.  You'd be surprised at what all I found...........or maybe not.  So many memories are in these photos. 

If you looked at the first picture, then you know what this is.

A very nice pecan cracker in great condition.  The trouble is I don't crack pecans anymore; nobody does.  I have more income than I did in 1974 and I don't have to watch my pennies as I did then.  As my hubby said, "People don't grab a bowl of pecans and crack them while they listen to the radio programs."  So very true!  Almost sad.  Almost sadly, I am giving this to charity.

 

Next are two nostalgic items that I am keeping although I don't really know why.

Remember when the Italian restaurants had these wine bottle drip candle holders?  And all those matches from places we've been.............can't throw them out.  They mean nothing to anyone but us, but we enjoy finding them in the closet when we clean.  It gives us meaningful conversation for a few minutes plus it causes us to recall a younger "us", our beginning.

I was rereading this before publishing and I noticed I hadn't written about this.

This.................being my grandma's bread bowl.  I am not sure if this is the bowl in her kitchen or one we found in an outbuilding near their house, but I like to think that it is one in her kitchen which she used all the time.  Years ago I had it hanging on my wall and it dropped and split so we used wood glue to put it back together.  Of course, I am NOT going to give this away.  Wood bowls are in style once again so I might drag it out of the closet and use it in my fall decorating.

Grandma had flour in this bowl.  When she made biscuits, she'd add the ingredients right in the center and mix the biscuits right there.  She'd form them by hand and put on a baking sheet which had melted shortening, turning so that both sides had shortening on them before placing in the oven.

I didn't throw these out either, but I put notes in them to let our children know why I have them.  They were on Mrs. Tucker's what-not shelf.  We think they were Aunt Shirley's toys.

I am sure you are SHOCKED at this photo!!  Yes, Nana is a lush............NOT!  These bottles have been in my cabinet up so high that you'd have get a ladder to reach them.  They are probably 30 years old..............and time to GO!  You know what, we opened them and they still smell like they did when I used them in recipes way back when.  NO, WE DID NOT TASTE THEM.  And no we didn't give them to charity.  They were used to clean the plumbing. 

Wow, here we are at the green waffle iron we received for a wedding present in 1972.  It probably should have been thrown out years ago, but hey, we still use it.  Who needs a new waffle iron when this one works perfectly fine.  After all, I only make waffles every five years or so, and when I need a waffle iron, here this beauty is.  And we can have a conversation about how old this iron is and how much longer it will last.....they don't make 'em like they used to.  This was a present from my office and that color was very popular back then.  The plates can be turned over to make a griddle, all Teflon lined.  Perhaps I had a Panini pan before it was called a Panini pan.

I threw these glasses out.  I bought these jelly glasses a few years ago at an antique store because this is what my family used for everyday glasses when I was a kid.  I felt nostalgic for a few days; they served their purpose.  Now they are ready to bring memories to somebody else.

Surprisingly, these glasses are really a sturdy glass for drinking and holds exactly enough and I kind of liked drinking from them again, but alas, you can't live in the past. 

....................So I kept some things, threw out some things, found some outdated food, and had lots of fun reminiscing.  But when in doubt, throw it out!


I love you.

The Music

Hi friends, 

 

I have had a wonderful day despite how it started; shaken awake by a 5.6 earthquake.  Wow, that will put you on your feet in a matter of seconds.  At the onset I thought the hubby was getting up, but I couldn't figure out the abrasive sound of someone wadding up plastic sheeting.  We both jumped up and ran to the window where we saw the outside umbrella really swaying.  At that point we both said "earthquake" and ran to the living room where we confirmed it by the swaying of cords inside the house.  Wasn't long before the local channels were delivering the news of this 5.6 quake.  Not fond of earthquakes and a little afraid............this coming from a girl living in tornado alley. 

 

So many posts to write about all stemming from my awesome day, but tonight I want to talk about all the old music and musicians.  Yes, you know it, I am watching PBS and their fund drive.  They may not have this on any other time of the year, but they have it tonight and I am reliving my life, my Saturday nights, through this music.  The younger years that is.

 

It is almost comical that some of the featured rock and roll artists from my day are so aged.  How times flies......  One of these days, this music--my music--will disappear.  Already, it is hard to find on the radio.  KOMA used to be the station, but yesterday when I was in the car, the music was more for my daughter's generation which, despite her denying it, is now 20 years old........

 

Tonight I thought it would be fun to list some of the musicians that will be disappearing soon, some already gone.  So off the top of my head here are some that I remember.  See if you remember any of these.  Can you name any of their hits?  I will help you out on some.

 

• The Bellany Brothers
• Neil Diamond
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Chubby Checker -- Peppermint Twist
• Perry Como  -- Too many to list, but this time of the year ALWAYS reminds me of him.
• Buck Owens  --  Not real crazy about him, but he was a headliner in his day.
• Righteous Brothers --  Do I even have to tell you what song comes to mind?
• Patsy Cline  --  So many.........  Crazy, huh?
• Frank Sinatra
• Billie Joe Royal -- 1966
• Dolly Parton -- Every Saturday evening.
• Glen Campbell
• Jim Reeves
• Percy Faith
• Marty Robbins
• Red Folley
• Tennessee Ernie Ford -- 16 Tons
• Patty Page -- Sang one of daddy's favorite songs.
• Dinah Shore
• Glen Miller
• Roger Miller
• Mitch Miller -- Remember the sing along show?  The Yellow Rose of Texas
• Dinah Washington
• The Ink Spots
• Tommy Dorsey
• Brenda Lee -- Rockin Around the Christmas Tree
• Guy Lombardo -- What would New Years Eve be without him?
• Gogi Grant -- The Wayward Wind
• Louie Armstrong
• Burl Ives
• Doris Day -- Whatever Will Be, Will Be
• B J Thomas
• Jimmy Dean
• Hank Williams
• Bing Crosby
• The Lennon Sisters
• Frankie Lane
• Tony Bennett
• Eddy Arnold
• Dean Martin
• Roger Williams
• Bobby Vinton
• Neil Sedaka
• The Platters
• Bobby Darin
• Roy Orbison
• Herb Alpert & The Tijuna Brass
• Marilyn Maye -- The Lamp is Low
• John Gary
• Dave Clark Five
• Simon and Garfunkle
• Floyd Cramer
• Chet Atkins
• Pat Boone
• Nat King Cole
• Rosemary Clooney
• Ed Ames
• Petula Clark
• The Carpenters
• Teresa Brewer
• Andrew Sisters
• Liberace
• The Beach Boys
• Sony and Cher
• The Mills Brothers
•  Elvis -- He's been dead for almost 40 years, but he is iconic.
• Henry Mancini -- His music was in so many movies of the 60s.
• Peggy Lee -- Is That All There Is?
• Beatles
• John Denver -- One of my favorites
• Ray Charles
• The Mamas and Papas
• Rolling Stone
• Supremes
• Paul Anka
• Everly Brothers

This is by no means all of the music of my life.  I could have gone forever, but I had to stop.  Yep, some are gone, some are much older, some are almost forgotten, but some never will be.  I may forget them myself someday, but for now their music lives on with me and what great music it is.


I love you.

 

School Starts Tomorrow

These two!

When did they get to be so big?

Tomorrow, these two little boys will be starting another school year.  4th grader, can that be?  Junior high?  Yesterday, he was 2 weeks old and curled up in my arms as he napped.  Three short years until he starts high school, and his nana is already in mourning.  Just kidding..................I think.

So tomorrow begins another school year, and here I am tonight wondering what the year will bring.  Oh it would be nice if they made straight As and won every award on awards night.  Sure it would.........not going to lie..............but my very favorite award would be one for kindness.  So here's hoping their year will be full of kindness from them as well as to them, full of hope and optimism, full of wisdom to make the best decisions, and most of all, full of joy.  Their smiling faces will be reward enough for me.   

Tonight, my sweet boys, I wish you a pleasant evening and deep sleep full of smiling dreams with ne'er a thought about school.  Tomorrow is your day to shine.

I love you. 

A look back:  http://retirementthegoodlife.blogspot.com/2015/08/sleep-tight-my-sweet-boys.html 

Pencil Skirts

Good morning everybody.


I have been under the weather the last few days, but I'm finally beginning to feel human again.  This morning I'm in the sunroom while the hubby mows on this semi-overcast day.  That means it will be sunny and hot in the next hour, but for now I am enjoying having the doors wide-open.


I've been looking at Pinterest and a lot of skirts have been pinned and Pinterest feels I may want to pin them for myself.  Boy howdy, would I ever pin them if I was 30 or even 60, especially if I were working.  I love tight skirts------that's what we used to call them-----and I looked good in them-----back in the day.


So gals wear your tight, I mean pencil, skirts with style.  Believe me, my heart is with you.  I would wear them in a heart beat if my legs would allow.  (Back in the day, we wore panty hose, and say what you will about the tights of torture, they did make the legs look a lot better.  I'd wear them with swim wear if I didn't look like I needed to be locked up.)


That's all I had to say this morning.  Keep tuned in because I am going to try posting more.


I love you.

Gentle Whirring of the Fan

What a chaotic week, huh? 


So this morning we had to clean the carpet and in so doing, we hooked up the fan to speed up the drying process....the old-fashioned fan.  It is quiet in the house this morning so even with my hearing loss, I could hear the gentle whirring of the blades..........pulling me right back to 1955.  If any of you were around back then, you probably know that every house in America had a fan; maybe not air conditioning, but we all had a fan.  I have such wonderful sweet memories of afternoon naps when all was quiet.  No TV, no kids clamoring, no radio blasting, and definitely no electronic device alerting us to weather, text messages, or any other such disturbances.  In fact at my house, there wasn't even a telephone at that point in time.  Just an afternoon nap which mom sorely needed after a morning with five kids under the age of 8.  The TV would be turned off and even if we didn't nap, we had to at least lay down and be quiet.  The only distraction was the gentle whirring of the fan sweeping around the warm room.


So with that, I will leave you and wish you no chaos and a 'gentle whirring of the fan' day.


I love you.

Non-news

Hey, long time no post............so here's a little nothing.......today's events.


1.  I just couldn't let it go.............the quest for new chairs--recliners or something very comfortable and cozy.  I have been looking for two months and sadly, OKC has very fewHa furniture stores and those we have are owned by one company...Mathis Brothers.  I went to a new store in Norman yesterday and then today we went to the same store in NW OKC and lo and behold, that store was inner-connected to the Lazy Boy store and the Mathis sleep center.  You get the picture?  They are ALL owned by MB.  I wonder if others are owned by them, but a little more discreetly. 


2.  I didn't buy any chairs and I have company coming next week.  I guess we will make due with the old stuff.


3.  Have you ever gotten the finger on the highway and you had no idea why?  Today we were in the far right lane tooling right along in the line of cars.  Very suddenly and aggressively a truck pulled in front of us and his finger was definitely directed toward us.  We turned to one another and at the same time said "What did we do?"  So..........when you have the urge to shoot someone the bird, take a moment to ask yourself how your actions are going to improve the situation.  What if it had been your grandpa, your minister, your girlfriend's mother, your wife?  Patience..........nobody has it anymore.


4.  At Target today, I saw a little old lady with bobby pin curls in her hair.  Just last week I posted a picture of pin curls..........had no idea anybody still used them.


5.  It's Friday night and my Friday night dates haven't call us.  I need a date.


6.  It's hot!  In OKC it's hot.  Right now the clouds are between us and the sun  and seems like a winter day.  No really, but a blessing from the scorching sun.  And AC:  wow, a blessing indeed.  And I forgot to tell you, the AC on the truck was iffy at best today.  One minute it was on, the next ten minutes it was off.  Believe me, that intermittent AC was greatly appreciated.


That's about all the NON-news I have.  Hope you are enjoying your summer.


I love you.

Embracing My Inner Flo

Good morning everybody.  Well, here I am again, sitting here having my third cup of coffee; full of life, vim, and vigor.  So  good morning all.


Did I tell you that I met Flo the other day?  Probably not since I haven't written in this blog in days.  Well, I met her.  Yep, she was right in the car with me.  IN FACT, I AM FLO!


I was riding in the car for a quick, quick grocery trip last Thursday morning.  You know it was quick because I was expecting a family reunion at 2:00 p.m.  I looked down and realized that I had on my biker shorts--well not really biker shorts, but maybe yoga shorts......yeah.....like I have really been into yoga lately...........can't get enough of that yoga.  I saw that I had on my flowy (that's a Regina word) boho pink and black leopard print top with the silver threads (to go with my gray, tight yoga shorts).  And then I saw that I had on my leopard thongs (back in the day we called them thongs...........not to alarm anyone............thongs can also be called flip flops) with my red toenails shining in the sun.  GOOD GRIEF..........I AM FLO! 


What in the world has happened to me?  I don't care!  10 years ago I would have never worn shorts in public and thongs were iffy.  But here I was............IN PUBLIC..............wearing shorts and thongs, mind you!  Tight shorts at that, but at least I had my boho tunic to cover my bum bums.  But...........I don't care!  Well, I care a little bit.  But there is a certain self-assuredness that comes with age and I am embracing it. 


"When I get old, I shall wear purple"............or at least a bo-ho shirt.  Embracing my inner Flo.


I love you!!  Go get your Flo on!!!!!!!!!!  (Coffee makes one use a lot of !!!!!!!!!!!!!)


For those of you under the age of 40, there was a sitcom in the 70s or 80s called "Alice" and Flo was the over the top waitress who always wore the most outlandish clothes and popping her gum.  I am embracing my inner Flo. 

They've Done It Again

Good Saturday Afternoon.  They've done it again, ruined a perfectly delicious recipe trying to make it better.  First, they did it with the watermelon.  See my blog a few days ago and now this.
http://retirementthegoodlife.blogspot.com/2016/05/so-seriously-dont-mess-with-my.html


I've been outside most of the day and decided I'd rest just a bit before heading out to find more flowers to buy.  May have to head to my local nursery.  I've got the bug.............planting bug, that is.


So.............I get on Pinterest to see what kind of inspiration I can absorb in 10 minutes.  Scrolling down, I see all kinds of beautiful plants, but then I come across somebody's idea of a good guacamole.  Now get this.................STRAWBERRIES in the guac!  What is this world coming to?  A perfectly delicious guac tainted with strawberries.  They've done it again. 


I love you guys.


And that's all that's happening here.  Good day.

GIRL Watch Out

Hello.


As you might have guessed, I was a little excited to go to my class reunion last weekend.  While I was looking around for mementos to take with me, I remembered a particular booklet which held all my classmates graduation name cards.


...........up to the attic I go.  It wasn't in the old suitcase which holds many treasurers from long, long ago.  So............I keep digging and digging and digging.  I start to feel my mission to the attic is going to be for naught.  But wait!  What is that over there?  Over there on the other side of the attic.  I'm going to take a look. 


So............I start creeping along and bang!!!  I hit a board that isn't nailed down and my life flashes before my eyes.................well, actually it was the insulation moving toward me or was I getting closer to it.  BAM!  I am down.  I am down hard, right on my bohunkus.  I am down between two rafter beams.  But I am stopped.  Wedged!!  I am not going through the ceiling...........I don't think.  But I am lodged and pretty banged up, but it's my ego that really took a beating. 


So...............I start screaming for the hubby.............of course, he's vacuuming the truck in the shop.  That doesn't stop me from screaming again..............for a good 10 minutes.  Finally, I give up screaming, and rummage around until I find a sliver of broken board (did I break that when I fell?) and start beating on the boards until finally.......................the hubby came into the garage. 


Bottom line is my bottom is lined--lined with bruises that keeps getting darker and uglier 6 days later.  My hubby got me out of the attic just fine guiding one foot after the other until I was on terra ferma.  It could have been a disaster, but all is well and no cracks in the ceiling--I looked as soon as I got in the house. 


I guess it all means that I am getting older despite the fact that I am on 35 or so in my mind.  It came to mind that I might need to be a little more careful in the attic and stay away from the part not floored.  AND BY THE WAY, WHO LEAVES BOARDS IN THE FLOOR OF THE ATTIC WITHOUT BEING NAILED DOWN?????  Falling in the attic--falling off my platform shoes--GIRL watch out.


~and by the way, I never found what I was looking for~


I love you

So Seriously, Don't Mess with My Watermelon

It's a dark, cool, or to my way thinking, COLD, day here in Oklahoma.  The wind is blowing and there's a mist in the air.  A perfect afternoon for a nap..............of if you can't sleep...............a perfect afternoon to "Pinterest".  Yes, that is a verb.  I Pinterest.


So I am scrolling through Pinterest and see a recipe for watermelon with balsamic vinegar and feta.  Disgusting!  As what point did someone say "Gee, this watermelon is only so-so.  It needs something to enhance the flavor."?  I guarantee I was not one of the ones voting to bump it up a notch.


Some things are just perfect as they were created.  So seriously, don't mess with my watermelon.


I love you.

Nancy and Bill

This was taken at our class reunion and isn't very flattering of me,

but it is one of my favorites.  Let me explain.  The lovely lady has

just introduced her friend (eyes left) as her fiancé.

Let me explain further.  That lovely lady has been my friend for

at least 53 or 54 years, and just a month or so ago my husband

and I had dinner with Bill and her.  No mention at that time of engagement,

but I went home wondering....................

This photo captures the moment of the happy realization that my dear, dear

friend had found someone special to spend her life with.

I love the sincere eye contact between us.  Me leaning forward to make sure

I heard correctly, and she giving me

a moment to absorb this wonderful news.

This photo captures the love and friendship of 50 years. 

I love her.

And here we are just a little later after

that first "WHAT?"

No shock in this photo, just happiness.

 

Class Reunion 2016

My wish is for everyone to have a friend

who remains loyal after all these years.

Our class rings.

Another shot.

And here we are with the newly engaged couple.

Nancy and Bill

(oooh............to be such great friends, I don't

remember Bill's last name)

I LOVE YOU

P.S.  Nancy, Bill is exactly what I wanted for you.

He adores you and it shows.

Here's to happiness.

We Came to Be 17 Again

Yesterday was my 50th year class reunion.  Oh........the memories each of these people hold in their hearts.  Yesterday we got to share those memories with others that know the stories are true but perhaps embellished just a tad.  Oh the fun stories we shared......the many stories of teachers....................football heroes..................class plays....................dateless proms.................fellow classmates (you should have been there)...................cars......................pretty girls..................handsome guys.................cheating on tests...................boys telling why they didn't ask a girl to dance (who knew they were afraid of being turned down and having to walk back to the wall without a girl on their arm)................the list could go on and on.  

As the afternoon wore on, our classmates started to drift away and head back home.  Heartfelt hugs were abundant.  Heartfelt hugs for the people who remember us when we were kids...........kids without children or grandchildren or even spouses.  Back when we had no responsibility other than a history test.  Back when momma and daddy were our anchor.  Deep heartfelt hugs for friends with sincere hopes to see them at the next reunion. 

At my hubby's 50th reunion a few years ago, one of his classmates was standing by the wall just observing.  I remarked to him that everyone looked wonderful and happy.  I never will forget what he said.  He told me that it was because it wasn't the time to talk of reality; no need to talk of impending knee replacement, or surgeries, or chemo.  We came to be 17 again.

We came to be 17 again.    

I love you.



Radishes and Tutus

These pictures pretty much speak for themselves.

Who doesn't pull radishes in a tutu?

And don't forget the gloves.

I have such precious grandchildren.

Enjoy your Thursday.

I love you.

The Shoes

You see these shoes.  Aren't they cute!??  Oh, and they are so sexy on the foot.  Really cute, cute, cute!  I hate them.  Let me make it clearer, I HATE THEM.

They are a year old, and as you can see, they look brand new.  That is because I only wore them a few times.  The very first time I wore them, I was taking the convertible out for a shopping spree.  I thought how cute I'd be in these new shoes.  I headed out to the car--thinking I was all tall and slim, statuesque--------------------and just as I was about to open the driver door, my ankle turned and down I went.  Well, I didn't look so statuesque spread all over the garage floor.  Yes, my 66 year old pride was hurt, but nobody was looking so I pulled myself up, dusted my pants off, tested my ankle and I was good to go.  I took another pair of shoes with me just in case I felt uneasy on my feet later in the day.  I made it okay, but I always made sure the hubby was with me the next time I wore them.

Fast forward one year.  My 50th class reunion is this Saturday.  I thought they might be the shoe of the day for me.  Sexy little shoes and they still look great.  So I decided to wear them around a little before hand just to make myself feel more at ease.  So..................yesterday morning I had them on and went to greet my granddaughter who was spending the day with me.  She's only two so I bent down to greet her.  I squatted down and got my sweet hug as she came running up.  And here's where it all went wrong.  I tried to get up, but all I could do was bounce my butt up and down.  I wasn't getting any momentum to bounce on up.  I couldn't get up.  I COULD NOT GET UP.  You see, I was on sloping driveway with my toes pointed down the slope.  I could not stand straight up.  Bouncing wasn't getting it.  No way!  My daughter finally had to put her phone down and use both hands to help me up.  She was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe and quite frankly she wasn't a lot of help.  Finally I was able to maneuver myself around so that I could push up using my hands.   

"MOM, don't ever wear these shoes again.  I am serious!"  So I guess I won't wear these shoes again.  My sweet little sexy shoes.  I guess I have officially come to the age of sensible shoes.  I have come to the age when the daughter scolds the mother, too. 

The shoes.................I know I said I hate them, but secretly I love them.  I have brains so I guess they will go to charity. 

I love you.

P.S.  I probably could have gotten up if I'd turned over and pushed off, but I had brand new pink pants...........you see my dilemma.  Sacrifice the pants?  No way.



Corning Ware - Sometimes the Old Stuff is the Best Stuff

 

No doubt you have been seeing various pictures of "old" Coring Ware on Facebook asking if you remember this.  It is touted as old school, old-fashioned.  Some people, teeny boppers, are even making comments such as "my grandmother had these".   Wha?????????????   I am here to tell you that I am a proud owner of this unique piece of Corning Ware along with several casserole dishes, AND I am not old; I AM NOT OLD!!!!...............well maybe just a tad bit old and okay I am a grandma (but I am known by my alias, Nana)...........but in my mind I am young.  Shoot, I got this blue cornflower pattern as wedding gifts.  Mine are in perfect condition after 44 years because I always saved them for special occasions and...........well............there weren't that many special occasions so they are still here in the cabinet.  The other day I decided I wasn't going to have many more very special occasions so I might as well use them for every day...........................so I dug this little beauty out.  It still has the original lid.  Just look at all the features of this sweet little jewel.  Pouring spouts on three sides, a little tiny handle, markings for various measurements, and a deep narrow bowl great for beating eggs, etc. 

So this little Nana is going to use this sweet bowl regardless of how old it is.  Yep, sometimes the old stuff is the best stuff.

I love you. 

 



 

White Rose or Red Rose

Happy Mother's Day.




When I was a child, it was a custom that people, men and women alike, wore corsages to church on Mother's Day.  If not a corsage, then at least a small flower, roses if you had a bush; red or pink for those whose mothers were still living and white to signify mothers who were no longer living.  You know, back then, I really didn't think much about those white flowers other than the fact that their mothers were dead.  End of it.........dead, gone.  Little did I think that those people might be hurting or even actually remembering their mothers.  You see.............I was little and death was the furthest thing from my mind.....my mother was setting right on the pew with me and her mother was four pews ahead of us.  All I really thought about was playing with my cousins at my grandma's house after church. 


Now ten years after my own mom passed, I understand the white flowers.  I understand a little more what those people in my little church might have been feeling all those years ago.  The white roses didn't just symbolize...........dead, gone...........it represented mothers who were still living in their children's hearts.  My mom.......I miss her physical presence, but her spiritual presence will always be with me for she lives in my heart, my memories, my mind.  She will be with me forever.


I hope that you are wearing a red rose today.  I hope that you are spending the afternoon with cousins at your grandma's house.  But if you are wearing white, please know that I sympathize with you.  I hope you can smell some sweet red roses today because your mother still lives in you. 




I love you all my sweet friends.

Happy Mother's Day to My Girl

Happy Mother's Day

to this little lady.

She's the mother of my

grandchildren, and she is my only daughter.

This evening she took me to a movie, "Mother's Day".  We had such a wonderful time just hanging out and devouring the biggest popcorn they sell.

I won't see her or my son tomorrow so it will be a quiet day for m  e, but I saw both them today so I feel blessed and honored.  After all, Mother's Day is just a day.  I get to have a Mother's Day everyday because I know what is in my children's hearts.  Some people don't have such relationships which makes me sad for them.



Tomorrow, my sweet girl is fixing a Mother's Day meal for her mother-in-law and my son-in-law's entire family.  I hugged her tonight as she dropped me off and told her that I feel like I have accomplished what a mother always dreams...........children with caring hearts.  Honoring her mother-in-law this way, but also honoring her husband is somehow a way of honoring me.  Does that make sense?  (And oh by the way, she is framing a picture of each mother and using them for her centerpiece.  How cute will that be?) 

I will sleep well tonight.  Good night my sweet children, my boy...........my girl.  Thanks for spending time with me today.

I love you.

Radishes

Good evening everyone.

So many things bring up memories for me these days including these pretty little radishes I pulled from my garden today.

 Springtime always meant supper included a large bowl of crunchy radishes and green onions pulled from the garden just a few minutes before we ate.

Lots of memories stem from the kitchen table.

Seven people I love around the supper table; I can picture it now.

I hope you are making some memories around your table today.

I love you. 

I am trying to get back into the writing spirit I had in 2012.

Thank you for reading.

 

Why Destroy It with a Camera Flash

Good morning everyone.


It is a beautiful morning in Oklahoma.  The temperature is in the 60s and there is NO wind.  A perfect day to be outside, but instead, we are enjoying easy listening music, our genre.  We have our granddaughter, a perfect 2 year old, and she is setting beside her grandpa in the rocking chair.  I could take a picture, but the flash would destroy this perfect moment.  There they are, wedged in the recliner, him with his eyes closed, hand on the remote.  She is wide awake but still as a mouse; every once in a while she glances up at Grandpa to see if he has his eyes open, sometimes yes, sometimes no.  So............she is entertaining herself by watching the music selection change on the TV and gently rubbing her eyes.  I am predicting a nap for her very soon..................at 10:20 a.m.???  I thought she was out there for a second, but she is in total relaxation mode.


Aw, such a perfect moment.  Why destroy it with a camera flash?


Just a moment ago, the live music ended by the audient clapping.  My sweet little girl, clapped.  At first I didn't realize why she was clapping..............then I realized she actually is listening to the music.  Aw, my heart be still......................another perfect moment.  My cup runneth over with love.




I love you.

Pray for My Little Cricket

 My little cricket

 My little cricket with his grandpa

And here he is with his parents

Last night we were privileged to go to Logan's

3rd grade class musical about insects at spring picnics.

He was a cricket if you hadn't already surmised.

He had a little speaking part and

he was EXCEPTIONAL; never missed a beat.

His grandma was so very proud of him.

Recently, my mind has been overwhelmed with the world situation.

You can't imagine how much this little school production

reassured me that the world is going to be okay.

These little 3rd graders will be

tomorrow's leaders.

Pray for them now.

Pray for my little cricket.

I love you.

Folger's Black Silk Coffee

Good Morning Everybody.


Another fine morning in Oklahoma after a little rain last night.  Amazing what a dash of rain can do for the yard and for my spirits.  I've just had my breakfast and my morning coffee and I'm not quite ready to start my day..............so I blog!  


A few years ago my family (brother and sisters and their spouses) met at Table Rock Lake in Missouri for a little family get together.  We all had cabins and/or trailers parked next to each other so that we could easily walk from one to the other and visit.  It was always fun to walk outside in the early morn and see one of my family members up and about, stretching and enjoying their steamy cup of coffee before the rest were dressed.  Soon everybody was up and dressed, refreshed, smiling, and excited to spend another day together.  We'd walk from cabin to cabin inquiring what was for breakfast and making plans for the day.  You see, up till that point we had no plans!  And folks, that is the best way to vacation.


I consider John, my brother-in-law, the aficionado of coffee.  If John liked it, then I knew it was good.  John introduced me to Folger's Black Silk coffee on that trip to Table Rock.  I asked him if he had any coffee and he came bringing me a steamy mug of the black stuff.  I thought it was the best stuff ever and told him as much.  It felt velvety on the tongue and was so rich......and that was before I knew the name.  Certainly appropriate calling it Black Silk.  Maybe what I liked best was the fact that he brought it to me.


I had my Folgers's Black Silk coffee this morning.  I don't buy it every time for it is a little strong, but when I do I always remember John.  And just like this morning, I have vivid memories of he and I sharing a cup of coffee, I see Brenda preparing breakfast at their camp site, I see Teresa straightening up their campsite after breakfast, I see Kay with her laptop catching up on work, I see Tara and Rhonda polishing fingernails, I see Robert having his coffee at the outdoor table, I see Bill sneaking a bacon, I see Chuck walking the dogs, I see Johnny and John discussing "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", and I see me frying 2 pounds of bacon each morning.   


I hope we have more family vacations.  They were the best!  Maybe because I have the best family!  I miss you, John.


I love you.