30 Days of Thanks - Day 4...

Today, I'm grateful for those rare occasions where I find that I can keep my mouth shut and not say something that will get me into trouble or be hurtful to someone.  I don't try to be that way, but when common sense is thrown by the wayside, I find it so difficult to keep my thoughts to myself.  It's  been a life-long struggle but by golly, it does occasionally happen.  Good for me!

30 Days of Thanks, Day 3...

Today my friend Sue passed away from cancer.  She left so many people with so many wonderful memories and  I'm so incredibly grateful that my life led me to her.

Sue met and married Cliff who has been a family friend for many years.  He had been in a rather uncaring relationship for years and Sue brought him laughter and happiness and we all loved her for it.

She was one-of-a-kind.  I introduced Sue to some of my friends over the years at parties we had.  She never, ever, knew a stranger.  I was fascinated to watch her as she'd sit next to someone she had just met and how she interacted with them.  She wanted to know everything.  How you met your husband, how many kids you had and what they did.  She would visit for hours getting to know someone and learn more about them in a short time than it took me months to find out.  She really, truly cared about people.

Sue was the person I would call when I needed an honest opinion, and she always gave it.  We all have family and friends that will sympathize with us when we need it.  But Sue would often tell me the reason someone was probably acting like an ass and how I needed to try and understand that.  She was awesome like that.  I'll miss having her to talk to.

We went on a couple of cruises with Cliff and Sue and had so much fun.  We talked about it a few weeks ago and Sue and I laughed about how we were always the first ones up in the morning.  She reminded me that she would call me about 5am and say, "Lets go get some coffee, I'll meet you up top."  We'd make our way to the top of the ship, surrounded by windows, and look out and visit while we drank our coffee.  It was our special time and I cherish those memories.

You fought a valiant fight dear friend and I miss you already.  Find us a good table, and I'll meet you up top...

My post from 2007....

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

There's Never Been A Better Song...

It's my all-time favorite song and Louis Armstrong does it best. It always makes me remember what a wonderful life I have...

 

 

I see trees of green,
red roses too
I see them bloom
for me and you
And I think to myself:
"What a wonderful world!"

I see skies of blue
and clouds of white
The bright blessed day,
the dark sacred night
And I think to my self:
"What a wonderful world!"

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
saying "How do you do."
They really say: "I love you!"

I hear babies crying
I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
than I'll ever know
And I think to myself:
"What a wonderful world!"
Yes, I think to myself: "What a wonderful world."

30 Days of Thanks, Day 2...

I know, this is silly, but I'm thankful that I live where I never (rarely) hear sirens.  Being raised in Garden Valley I never heard them.  I remember staying with my grandma in Boise when I was a kid and hearing sirens at night.  It terrified me because I knew that something bad was happening to someone.  When we moved to Hidden Springs I realized that the sirens were rare and usually meant a fire in the foothills.  I realized a few years ago that when folks would ask me what I like about living up here my first answer was always that you never hear sirens.

I must have been traumatized somewhere along the line as a child by a siren!  Our house now is so airtight that even when one does come along now, I don't hear it!

You may remember this...

We had decided a few weeks ago that if the world was going to end on 12/21/12, we surely wanted to go out with friends and family.  So we decided to build a big-ass bonfire and have some people over.

About 5:30 Ival started the bonfire.

About 6:15 Nancy, Butch and Penny had arrived.

At 6:30, so did the Fire Department...

We had invited people to come over about 6:30 so I was inside finishing up some cookies I had taken out of the box made when my sister came strolling in and said, "You might want to come outside.  The Fire Department is here."

"Ahahahahahahaha! Right."

"No really.  The Fire Department is HERE!"

I started to rush outside - Ival was out back getting more firewood - then ran back to get my camera.  If they really were here - I wanted pictures!

I got outside just in time to see the firetruck pull off Cartwright, turn off their lights and sirens and pull down the driveway.  COOL!

They came over to the fire and said they had received "numerous" calls about a fire.  In fact, they had 6 trucks en route.  Get outta here!  HOLY CRAP THIS IS GETTING BETTER BY THE MINUTE!

They asked what we were doing and we proceeded to tell them we were "Waiting for the Mother Ship."  DUH!   

We talked for a while, they asked if we had a permit - they obviously don't know us.  We talked some more about waiting for the Mother Ship and they talked about how they wished they could stay.  They told us it is illegal to burn construction waste and were sure we wouldn't be putting any more of that on the fire. Right-0.

 Luckily, we had our shovel and hose right there.  I think they enjoyed the ride out as they said they were "bored anyway."

They really were nice and it only made the night a lot more interesting!  Then, just like Santa, they disappeared as quickly as they had come.

As it turned out, we had a wonderful night with family and friends.  Telling stories, laughing, and just enjoying the evening.

Ric and Cheryl, I'm soooo glad you guys came!  It was great to see you and Cheryl I miss that laugh of yours.  Ric, I need those picutes of the Mother Ship!

I'm told that the Mother Ship did pass by, several people got pictures, but again, I was inside at the time.

I'm assuming none of us below were "worthy" as no one at the fire was taken up.

However, I'm wondering if I didn't catch an alien life form here...

30 Days of Thanks - Day 1...

My daughter Jacki (who hasn't blogged for many, many months) has decided that since November is the month of Thanksgiving, she's going to post 30 days of things she's thankful for.   I thought that was a great idea and will join her.

As I've watched my best friend over the last month, cancer has finally taken it's terrible toll.   I have to be extremely grateful that I am still here. I can't tell you how many times over the last month Sue has said to me, "aren't we lucky that we have husbands like Cliff and Ival?"

Yes Sue, we are.  Ival is such a loyal husband and even though was have a rather "different" relationship, he stands by me.   We often talk about how we have to stay together because no one else would have either of us!  But, we love each other and drive each other nuts at the same time.  There's no one like us - except Matt and Amy Roloff of Little People Big World.  If you watch that show, that's us -  to a T.

Ival and I met when he was 15 and I was 17.  We dated for a while, broke up, dated, broke up, dated, broke up and then dated and got married!  It's now been 26 years and it's been a lot of fun.  He entertains me daily and has taken such good care of me.

So, to Ival/Elmer (depending on what stunts he's pulled that day), thank you for loving me, putting up with me, and being willing to travel this road through life that has produced 3 wonderful children, 7 wonderful grandchildren, and a journey that we will always look back on and be able to laugh at.

Here's a quick reminder of life with Elmer...

So, our buyers don't want the chickens.  We have a community "hen house" down by the community barn.  So, while the hens were roosting last night, Elmer gathered them all up and seatbelted them into the truck.

 

Just kidding.  We stuffed them into a 24 x 12 Rubbermaid container and threw the container into the back of the truck, in the dark of night.

We pulled down near the barn and noticed a truck there.  The lights were on in the old farmhouse that's been restored so Elmer decided that the truck people must be in there.  Lights off, we pulled up near the fence, Elmer quietly go out, retrieved the Rubbermaid chickens, and tip-toed off into the dark.  Moments later, I see him tip-toeing back, container in arms - obviously still heavy with chickens.

"Oh shit, was there somebody out there?"
"Yeah, somebody was in the hen house with a flashlight."
"Now what are we going to do?"
"Let's go home and come back in 15 minutes."

So, the Rubbermaid chickens rode back home until we felt it was safe.  We drove back down just as the truck was leaving the farm.  Lights off, we pulled up next to the fence and repeated the process, this time however, Elmer came back with an empty container.

I guess we'll have to stop by the farmhouse today and see if the girls survived the night - out alone, with the owls and coyotes.  If they did, they'll have a great life living in that hen house with all the other girls.
 
Here's to another 26...