BLOG TAG

So my friend Jean tagged my friend Kim

in this new blogging game. Now Kim has

tagged me. According to the rules, once you've

been tagged, you go to your sixth picture folder,

find your sixth photograph and

blog your memories of the photo.

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So I went to my sixth folder, which happens

to be really old family photos.

However, when I counted from right to left to the 6th picture,

I didn't really like it. So then I counted from top to bottom and

didn't really like the 6th one in that order.

Then I figured, what the heck...no one will know. So I just

picked the picture that made me smile....and here it is----

This picture was taken around 1954 or 1955 of my sister Gail and me.

I think the location was either Colorado, California or South Dakota.

By the time I was five our family had lived in 4 states---so

I am not exactly sure of anything more than it was out west.

Gail and I are 15 months apart--I'm the oldest.

So despite our many moves, we always had a built-in playmate.

Some fun thoughts by others about sisters---

********

A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and

very much not ourselves - a special kind of double.

~Toni Morrison

*********

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost.

~Marion C. Garretty

*********

Never let an angry sister comb your hair.

*********

You can kid the world. But not your sister. ~Charlotte Gray

*******

(and the one that my two younger sisters probably agree with...)

Big sisters are the crab grass in the lawn of life.

~Charles M. Schulz

************

NOW I TAG MY sister Gail , my daughters Jessica & Beth,

My friends Kim & Beth and my niece Tricia

YOU ARE IT!!!

Car Sickness

"The one thing that unites all human beings,

regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status

or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside,

we ALL believe that we are above average drivers."

~Dave Barry

MR. FIRE HYDRANT ACROSS THE STREET...

Meet our Honda Accord....

Yep...my first accident in many years.

I was rushing to take Sam to the passport office...

then I remembered something

I wanted to return to the Dollar Store

(no comment)

and decided to back up...

back up the half block to our house...

Not a Good Idea...
******************************
Well, thank you, Lord, for other blessings...

like car insurance...

a husband that didn't get angry...

A soccer game later with my husband & son...

A Maryland Terps win over the California Bears!!

And beautiful fall sunsets...

We all have our "hang-ups"

Last week, I played the “Good Mom”.

Or maybe it was just the “Finally-I’ve-had-it-Mom”

Whatever it was, I decided to enter Sam’s bedroom.

The one he only uses on weekends while at college.

It was a courageous step for me.

But then, I am a middle school teacher, so nothing scares me.

This came close.

I had forgotten what color carpet we had installed there 3 years ago.

Covered with clothes and books and papers, CDs and CD cases….

not always together…occasionally a guitar pick or a whole guitar,

it is hard to know where to step.

I guess he feels it necessary to keep the bed aired out….

or what other reason would he have for not making it? Ever?

Nevertheless, I went to work.

All clothing on the floor went into the washer.

All papers went into trash or

a “Need to go through over Thanksgiving break” pile.

I painstakingly matched most of the CDs and cases and

tried to place them in the shelf.

I came close to having an asthma attack when I

dusted down his bookcase---but it certainly looks great now.

And while I laundered all the bedding, I turned the mattress.

If I don’t mind saying so….the place looks terrific.

When Sam came home I proudly took him up,

showed him the neat CD shelf, all the clothes ON HANGARS

and a crisply made bed. He looked around, then grabbed a

newly washed underarmour shirt from the hanger and stuck it in his bag.

Perhaps it was one he had been missing under the piles of clothes.

Perhaps, he will see how important it is to have a place for everything

and everything in its place. NAAAAAAAA….

Yesterday’s paper had the following comic.

I laughed….Sam didn’t get the humor…

he just thought it made a lot of sense.

ch'i or Qi or qi n.
The vital force believed to be inherent in all things.

The unimpeded circulation of chi and a balance of its

negative and positive forms in the body are held to be

essential to good health in traditional Chinese medicine.
[Chinese (Mandarin) qì, air, spirit, energy of life.]

Indian Summer

Autumn is my favorite time of year

For 14 years I sat in lawn chairs next to soccer fields...

Or I stood on the sideline making strange body movements---

swaying one way or the other as if I could somehow will

that black and white ball in the direction of the goal...

I really don't understand a thing about the game...

I don't even know what position my son played.

But when that last high school game was played 2 years ago and

I took off my "Soccer Mom" socks with little embroidered balls

I cried.

I miss those crisp fall days...

the smell of sweaty boys filling my van to & from games,

contorting my body in odd ways next to the field.

Last Saturday there was an alumni game...

Once again I watched those gold soccer cleats hit the ground

and that wavy a-little-too-long-blond hair fly by

and saw # 11 do that which he loves and does well....

It was joy---even if I forgot to wear my "Soccer Mom" socks.

This weekend was fun too---

Sarah & Lauren retreated from American U. for about 24 hours.

Ledos pizza, "Get Smart" DVD, worship together,

Sunday dinner with Hilda

And a walk in the neighborhood.....

Strolling among the leaves is more fun than raking them.

And Lauren agreed with me....our Colorado aspens just don't
compare to the colors of the eastern hardwoods.

Election Day!!

My dear husband left our house before 6 a.m. with a

cup of coffee, a lawn chair, crossword puzzle & flashlight.

He headed to the polls where he found himself 2nd in line!!

These two ladies were Numbers 1 & 3 in line

at Flower Valley School!!

The space between them, where Jim sat for an hour---

became my place at 7:50 when I arrived

and my husband moved to the end of the line.

You're a good man, Jim Furnish!

The election judges posting poll machine tapes to prove there

had been no votes cast before we entered the doors at 7 a.m.

The line was snaking down the sidewalk

& toward the parking lot...
That man in the white hat and black sweatshirt---
still working on his crossword puzzle---
is the best place-saver in town!!

Oh, Brothers-- HERE Art Thou??

Jim took his brother Dale to the airport on Monday a.m.

On Thursday evening, we welcomed brother Joseph...

Okay, Sam, pick your weapon!
Jammin' with his Uncle Joe.
What could the brothers be googling for now??

Oh, surprise--surprise---some kind of bug,

wouldn't you know.
*****************

A Sunday delight...

Tiki was in town from Phoenix

to go through her late uncle's studio.

He had painted & owned some wonderful works.

A bittersweet time recalling all the lessons

she had learned from this talented man.

He even painted bedrooms!

But Tiki's favorite pastel will soon...

hang in her home.

And we had the joy of hosting her in ours.

Circuses!!

A fun Friday with Karen & Wayne in Sarasota.

Once the winter home for the Ringling Bros Circus...

Wayne's mother lives in a former Ringling "company" house.

Originally owned by the Gorilla trainer....

it comes with an attached cage!!

Now a kitchen nook...these three weren't monkeying around.

Off for a tour of the Ringling mansion built in 1926.
Quite a stunning home...

even a 6 foot tub from one piece of marble.
I can only imagine the parties held before the crash of 1929...

************************

FAMILY CIRCUS!!

We arrive home after midnight Friday--but Sam is still up.
What about Uncle Dale---nah...
he is trying to adjust from his 2 weeks in Tanzania.
On Saturday Dale joins his brother at work....
Pretty hard duty riding around in the cart all day.

After so much hard work...time for a nap

in front of the baseball game.

We think Sam only comes home from college

to see his favorite "girl!"

She sure loves him!!! Or is it his snacking??

Sanibel Island Adventures

Casa Ybel Resort Sanibel Island, Florida

Larry and Nancy invited us to share their condoshare

for a week on the west coast of Florida.

We swam....and sunned and tanned...
We walked the beach each morning gathering hundreds of shells.

The view from our back deck...

A Saturday drive with our sons to Captiva Island.

Via the Ding Darling Nature Reserve...Jim knows his birds!!

Dinner at the Bubble Room in Captiva...delicious.

Full of pictures and memorabilia in every room.

Instead of dessert, we opted for some smooching.

Except for the boys...

Back at the condo, we celebrate Brett's birthday.

Happy number 20 !!!

Sunday lunch in Fort Meyers. We were joined by...

Brett's friend Phil, his mother Trinka,

sister Taylor and brother Tanner.

Nancy didn't like my photography!!!

We say good-bye to our boys--back to Daytona & College Park...

We miss them, but find ways to amuse ourselves...

like eating steak as we watch a sunset.

C'mon, Larry...don't you want to help with the puzzle???

Nancy loses sleep over the millions of blue pieces!!

Breakfast at the Island Cow before we leave for...

Airboats & Alligators on beautiful Lake Trafford--

Immokalee & the headwaters of the

EVERGLADES!!!

Clouds reflect on the waters...and what's that ahead???

YIKES!!

Nancy & I are safe with Captain Fred at the controls!!

Watch out, Jim...you've got a friend.

Ah...herons and egrets and wildflowers in abundance...

This is truly a swamp...

She's ready to take flight as we pass by...

And so are they...What a ride!!

Our last afternoon here and Nancy has to call in help!!

It is FINISHED!!

Then we're off to Punta Gorda---

which Jim tells us is translated:Fat Point.

A final Florida dining experience with Cates at Captain's Table.

THANK YOU, NANCY & LARRY for blessing us with this vacation!!