Please read and reply!

Yolanda is working on an article for a magazine and has posed the question for all women to answer:

Who is the woman that has been the greatest influence on you?

If you are a woman, please take the time to answer the question in my comments section and I will inform Yolanda of your answer. She will in turn send us info on when and where we can read the article and see the results of the survey!

Please answer quickly as she has a deadline!

Last Summer: view from the house

Hey! Remember when the sun stayed up til 9 every night? Remember how it was three digits on the thermometer and you sweat just laying in bed? Remember how the heat was so intense you needed to take a shower just to cool off?

yeah. me neither.

eyes

o.k. Because my sis is on me lately about being more courageous with my art; here is another page of "study". The prompt was "draw an eye". So here you have it. This is half of a page from my art journal. The other half of the page had more "people" eyes, some animal eyes and of course some cartoon eyes. This example took approximately 1/2 hour.

Clicking on the photo will allow you to see the drawings in a larger, more life like frame.

TMI 100 -for Lisa, Melissa, and others

1. I like my name. It gets about a 98% joke rate when people meet me for the first time, but I have gotten used to it.
2. I adore cats. I am also very allergic to cats and sneeze and tear up whenever they are near. But I CANNOT resist petting a cat whenever I see one and miss having one in the house. Although I do not miss the cat hair.
3. I have a strong fear of dogs, even the little ones, but the big ones can make me pee my pants just by looking at me. I have cried as recently as a week ago because a dog surprised me and barked terribly loud at me. I am seriously afraid of dogs. Although I know 2 that I like and who crack me up: Buddy and Bella, who frankly scare me a little, but are just big goofballs and make me laugh when I see them.
4. I am the baby of the family, which explains much to some people.
5. All I ever wanted to be when I was little was a good mom.
6. Being a gramma rocks. Rocks like nothing else. I highly recommend it to anyone.
7. I hate roller coasters. I don't like driving down hills fast. It is not fun for me.
8. I love the smell of a pier...stinky fish and all.
9. I enjoy driving around.
10. I enjoy taking photographs and wish I were better skilled at it.
11. I have too many opinions and open my mouth much too often.
12. I feel like I can keep up with most conversations because life has given me vast experience and exposed me to many diverse things. Not an expert, just one of those folks who can say,"Oh yeah, that happened to me too."
13. I am attracted to people with intelligence.
14. I think Polynesians and African Nationalities have the best features and when I was in high school I wished I had dark dark skin, and wicked hair. Um, kind of still do.
15. I wish I could sing like the black women I heard as a child. Fearless and strong.
16. I have physical pain almost everyday, all day; and occasionally, when I wake up free of the pain, it's weird to me and I feel lighter. I forget what it is to feel good until I do, and it's weird.
17. I forget things easily and it makes me feel stupid.
18. I hate feeling stupid. I feel stupid more often than I should.
19. I feel genuinely happy most of the time. My life is very good.
20. I think my kids are much more intelligent than I will ever be and I think this is a blessing from God.
21. Strangers find it easy to converse with me and tell me intimate things about themselves one wouldn't normally share with a stranger.
22. My foot measures to a size 5 in length, however it is so wide that I must wear a size 6 or 7.
23. I never wear mascara because my lashes are too small and my lids are too heavy. My kids say I have "Asian" eyes.
24. I rarely wear make up.
25. I refuse to dye my hair.
26. I am a hippy chick at heart.
27. I don't believe in world leaders anymore. I think money is controlling everything.
28. Because I am not one of the 2 major political parties, I feel that my vote doesn't count. I still vote, it just doesn't matter.
29. I am not rational when it comes to my kids. If you are unrighteous or unfair with them, I cannot be held back. I am not pretty.
30. I am more impressed with a poor person who does what they can with their home than I am with someone with money who has a beautiful home. Show me what you can do with nothing and I will be impressed.
31. I can't knit and it makes me feel dumb.
32. I am mediocre at most things. That said, I can do most anything, if not, I am willing to try.
33. I am basically content which can, at times, seem to others as lazy.
34. I am a different person when I am working. I think I work more efficiently than others because I want to get the work done as soon as possible.
35. I think my kids have a stronger work ethic than most kids their ages.
36. I find that obvious and simple things elude me at times and I wonder why I didn't get them as easily as others.
37. I love change. (and I am absolutely nutso crazy about bills!)
38. I am not afraid of public speaking.
39. I have had more than one person suggest I try being a stand up comic. My comedic prowess doesn't come across in writing (refer to #37 above). Trust me, I can be funny at times, especially if you're drunk or on some form of prescription drugs.
40. I want to be self sufficient, grow my own food and eventually get off the grid.
41. I brush my teeth while driving... to relax.
42. I feel like Heavenly Father saved me by having our family reactivated and me baptized at an early age. If I had not been baptized when I was I would have been dead by now, I know it.
43. I have too many sets of dishes. I want more.
44. I am ferocious at Boggle.
45. I have dyslexic tendencies.
46. I enjoy ironing.
47. I learn by doing rather than by hearing, reading or seeing an action, etc.
48. I have a true 50-50 split personality.
49. I really really adore turquoise blue and kiwi green, especially with chocolate brown.
50. I love riding a bike but haven't been able to for over twenty years.
51. I hate to fly because I hate the idea of falling.
52. I love the smell of rain, new babies, and baking bread...but doesn't everyone?
53. The only perfume that smells good on me is Coco by Chanel, most others smell like Raid (bug spray) on me.
54. My hair is stick straight.
55. I dream vividly almost every night.
56. I never have been tempted to break the basic "Word of Wisdom".
57. I was my gramma's favorite grandchild. I knew it then and I know it now. I both hated that and loved it. I think as a kid it helped me to know that someone loved me more than someone else. But I knew the indifferent attitude of my gramma hurt my siblings, and that, in turn, hurt me.
58. I have never been skiing. Snow or water.
59. I prefer exotic flowers over roses.
60. I know that being fat isn't about how much food you eat. I know that having a dirty house isn't about how clean you aren't. I know that nervous laughter doesn't mean you are enjoying yourself.
61. I loved to run.
62. When I was in jr. high school I cut my foot deeply with an industrial razor used for cleaning windows. It cut through the side of the ball of my foot and I was worried that the blood would get on the carpet of the house I was cleaning.
63. I love HOT water.
64. When I was a young, a neighbor girl hit me so hard in the back with a board that she knocked me completely down. The board had a rusty nail in it and when she hit me the nail went against my spine and had to be removed surgically by a doctor. I still have a small scar, and pain if you touch that spot.
65. When my sister went away to college, I sincerely thought she would never come back home; that I would never see her again. I cried for weeks.
66. She gave me a pearl necklace a year later and I treasure that necklace almost as much as my wedding ring.
67. If I could, I would get Lasik eye surgery; and have a pedicure every week for the rest of my life.
68. I like cookie dough better then baked cookies.
69. I think my best friend looks like "Debra" on "Everybody Loves Raymond".
70. I believe in karma, bread on the water, what goes around comes around...you get the idea.
71. I have a hard time understanding people who enjoy using guns for pleasure.
72. My children have the same birthdays and gender order as my Mother-in-law's children if you start with Thor.
73. I can pick up accents if I am with a person who has one. Which reminds me of my brother who could do it off the top of his head. And speaking of my brother, whenever I see or hear Kermit the Frog I think of him.
74. I love coconut.
75. I cannot stand organ meats and have never made my children eat anything I didn't like.
76. I don't like contention.
77. I am bad at math.
78. I get high anxiety if I have to deal with money. Serious.
79. I worry that I will live too long.
80. I am afraid of being inactive at church.
81. My favorite callings have been Primary chorister and Seminary Teacher.
82. I really liked my Chinese boss at the Hello Kitty store, he was a good man and he made working pleasant.
83. I miss my brother and my gramma. A lot.
84. I am not a baby person. They're cute and cuddly and nice; but I can't keep them continually happy and it frustrates me that a baby is sad or crying and I can't help it. I liked it when my kids got old enough to explain to me what they needed so that I could fill that need, to chat with, and to really goof around with.
85. I regret not home schooling my kids, although they would have never learned anything because I would not have been disciplined enough.
86. I think everyone should be able to go to the theatre/opera and it makes me sad that it is only for the fortunate.
87. As of this week, I wish I had 2 million dollars. 1/4 of that for a particular parcel of land, and the rest to build homes with.
88. I can't wait to serve a mission.
89. I find symbolism in weird things and in places others do not.
90. I count things when I get nervous and try to find sequence or order in the numbers. I also see people's faces, animals, and other things in the specks of walls and tiles, etc. Kind of like that episode of The Twilight Zone.
91. When I was 8, I was hospitalized for 6 weeks to find out I had a bleeding ulcer the size of a dime.
92. I fell down a full flight of marble stairs at the county courthouse in front of a large group of people and only tore my hose. I was thinking of Chevy Chase as I rolled passed the crowd.
93. My appendix burst when I was 2 months pregnant with my daughter.
94. I have had two of my greeting cards published in a national stamp magazine; won two stamped card designs for a major stamp company; won a national magazine contest for interior design for a child's bedroom, and won three first prize international visual display (holiday window) contests for an international children's company.
95. I think marrying Thor was the best thing that could have happened to me. Again, one of those blessings from God that I feel saved me.
96. I hate being alone.
97. I want to learn more languages.
98. When I was a kid I wanted to learn how to play the banjo but my mom said it was a boy's instrument. I learned how to play the ukulele, but was embarrassed. I can't remember how to play and now, of course, wish I could remember. I bought Thor and I harmonicas so we could learn how to play them this year.
99. I can't lift a gallon of milk without struggling, however I can move a piano with relative ease.
100. I have cankles and period teeth. (that's a repeat for Grettir, just 'cause he got a kick out of it last time.)

the Four Meme

From Melissa and pretty much makin' the rounds, here it goes folks...the four meme:

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Manager of a Sanrio Surprise! (The Hello Kitty Store)
2. Interior Artist (one of those folks who gets paid to paint murals, faux finishes, and other stuff on walls. Model homes, businesses, and private residences)
3. Interpreter for the deaf -preschool -high school
4. Weddings (Decorator, planner, set design and construction, floral design, cake decorator, food display and assistant catering, event staff manager, and keeping the mothers happy and "less drunk" as possible.)

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. A&E's version: Pride and Prejudice
2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
3. La Vita e Bella
4. Chocolat

C) Four places I have lived:
1. San Diego, CA
2. Carlsbad, CA
3. Hemet, CA
4. Fantasy Land

D) Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. No Reservations
2. Yes, Dear
3. Globe Trekker
4. Any "House" series on PBS, i.e. Pioneer House, Colonial House, Frontier House, etc.

E) Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Yosemite, CA
2. Joshua Tree, CA
3. Pacific Coast Highway, the "1", CA
4. San Diego, CA

F) Websites I visit daily: (or semi-weekly)
1. The blog roll at the side bar - seriously people, I go to your blogs at least once a day, sometimes more hoping you have written something new.
2. LDS.com
3. Flickr!
4. Ask.com

G ) Four of my favorite foods:
1. good quality chocolate
2. steamed salmon with creamed peas
3. roasted carrots
4. hot chocolate pudding over vanilla bean ice cream

H) Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Any nice town on the equator PLEASE, for the love of Pete, someone turn the heat on!
2. On a beach
3. in a hot bath
4. in a hot tub

What have I learned from reading these at other places?
Well, that my sis has been to Mexico more times than I thought, Melissa is into Comic book heroes and is evidently SMART, Lisa is a world traveler, Jewel is good with people and the public in general, and that I really enjoy this whole blog thing because I have "met" really interesting people who keep me coming back for more everyday.

Now, here's what you're supposed to do... and please don't spoil the fun. Hit forward, delete my answers and type in your answers. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little known facts about those who know you.

Gila Bend

Along the I-8 w in Arizona, 90 some miles southeast of Phoenix, you will find a small business loop to the town of Gila Bend (pronounced Heela). I suggest, if you are ever in the area, to take the loop.

Boasting "1700 friendly people and 5 old crabs" this town catches your attention the minute you exit the freeway.Thor and I planned on grabbing a coke and driving through the mile long road. We didn't get the coke until we drove the town and visited with some folks. We were there for about 1-1/2 hours.

A "Space Age Lodge", inspired by the Russian Space Race of the 60's, was and evidently still is a hot spot for travelers. Built by Al Stovall, in '63, this Lodge was only one of several space themed hotels. He built several for the Disneyland area - The Fabulous Space Age Lodge at Disneyland, The Cosmic Inn, and The Galaxy. There is a mural of all the space progress above the check in desk, and hungry travelers can always stop and grab a bite at the "Outer Limits Coffee Shop". Each of the doors sport a tiny little space ship with a room number.

There are other hotels of note in Gila. The Golden Star has a murder mystery attached to it. The months of investigation were enough to keep the Hollywood intrigued peaked! A handsome screen write, a British starlet, Burt Reynolds!, a love triangle and thensome, and -gasp- a pool of blood! In the end the poor guy died of a drug over dose.

Then we have "Stout's Hotel". This hotel looked less than open for operations, yet it was still decorated for Christmas and had actual markers of tenants. But then again, when your sign is the only one in town that brags "STEAM HEAT!" -well that's a feature that gets the competition going! They have "DISH" -unfortunately it is located on the back of the building...which is completely open and exposed. Interesting.

We also found the schools, which were well maintained and impressive. There is a park aside the main schools, beautiful lawns and a large (LARGE) Native inspired sculpture grab your eye. Then there is the original school house -complete with bell- that has been added to, but kept the integrity of the original structure. This now houses the School Board and is frankly, awesome.

A very nice art and cactus gallery to show off local artisans was not only welcoming and informative, but diverse with everything from paintings to sculpture and jewelry, furniture and garden art. This place was filled yet spacious, with two large rooms and a large yard to wander through out back. The owner's shop is located on site and I got the feeling he would have gladly shown us that if we had just hinted. A cat sleeps on a pile of Navajo blankets and a dog sleeps in the front parking lot. While we were there a local Native artist came into sell her latest in jewelry and you get the feeling this place is pretty popular with the locals as well as the tourists.

There is a history that dates back to 1699, full of Spanish men of God and Indians it became an important stop for western travellers even then! Born of the drastic bend in the Gila River this became known as the "Crossroads of the West". There are archaeological and historical sites of importance near by, ancient ruins and petroglyphs. It is located near the infamous "Oatman Massacre" where a woman with 5 children refused food to the local Indians and well, you get the idea. Fortaleza is another site nearby however not open to the public. A fortified town in ruins of the local Hohokam tribe.

There is a McDonald's and a Taco Bell, a couple of gas stations and a sheriff or two. The sports from the high school seems a top priority and everyone we met was very happy and friendly. This is a town of characters to be sure, but if you are ever driving the I-8...this is where you want to stop for a coke.

A room with a view...

Here we are in Phoenix. Our hotel room was fabulous, probably the largest room we have ever stayed in. The water heater how, ever was lacking. Oh well.

In the room was a terrific arched window that over looked the city block. Lots of construction going on and lots of diversity. The photos always seem to get scrambled when downloaded to the blog, so find the correct photo and come along.

In this photo I tried to do a quick sketch ala "Danny Gregory" who is on the sidebar at Everyday Matters. A great inspirational artist with books to prove it, I like his style and energy. He grabs a pen and draws as he lives. So here's my window view Danny. I take a sketch book with me along as I travel. I am very...ugh, I don't know what the word would even be, but I don't show my drawings to just anyone, so this is difficult for me. Number one, it's a "sketch", which implies quick drawing, not drawing for accuracy. This sketch was done in about 15 minutes. So it's not the best of my work. Maybe a sample of that later. ugh, NEXT SUBJECT!

A couple of reflective views from the buildings across the street. I think it's cool.

The last of the photo needs explanation. There is a one story building in the foreground. This building is original art deco style and FABULOUS! Gorgeous and amazing detail, maintained to perfection. Grey, black and white details. Even the roof top has an art deco design in red and black. It's currently a Baja Fresh. Go figure. What is great about Phoenix is that here is this great art deco building sitting directly in front of all the mirrored glass skyscrapers. Cool!

Huell Howser, where are you?

So here we are at the corner of "Iron Mountain" and "Pump Plant" roads in the southeast desert of California. As you can see from the photo, there ain't much around these here parts. The 360 view here is the same for as far as the eye can see. In the one frame you can see dark mounds of asphalt piled up, a sign that someone from CalTRANS has been here recently; but other than that, not a soul in sight.

The pole is pretty high. In fact, if you can find the DISH on the left hand side of the pole, that is above Thor's head, somewhere above the six foot mark. Not that Thor is 6 feet, but it was a few inches above him, and I am rambling so I'll stop now.

There's also a shot of the GPS "stash", "treasure" or whatever it is called. Nothing much, but it is a fun game for those who play. The "Swisher Sweets" box is just the base for the main depository, the small wood box with the lid down. Inside that wood box were little tokens, plastic pieces from a game board, a coin and whathaveyou. Kind of the "take a penny, leave a penny" theory of give and take. Someone also left his picture for others to ponder.

Life's little adventures. Another way of seeing "home". I couldn't help but notice all the vast land. Land devoid of any structures, any 'civilization, nothing. Nothing but land as far as the day was long. We drove for hours without seeing much of anything. IN CALIFORNIA. Free roaming wilderness. Land that I am sure comes fairly cheap... if you want to live there. It was the same in the south of Arizona, land for miles and miles. But land nonetheless. Is it any wonder why other countries feel we here in America are filthy rich?

The scenery and the small towns that scattered out weekend trip were unique. More on the towns next post. In the mean time, check out where you live. See how much land is spread out. See how much elbow room you have. Check out that skyline and the stars. If you live in the city, how long does it take before you can see land spread out like this? This is the gift. This is what others dream of. The folks in Japan, living very crowded lives, sharing small apartments in efficiently used land wonder at this. We should too.

Arizona Weekend

This morning Thor and I set out for Phoenix for another one of his world famous business trips. This one, however didn't require him to fly and so we were able to take a looong drive through the back roads of the California desert and on into Arizona. Lots of little towns (maybe 5?)! We drove through 29 Palms...very misleading, there are more than 29 palm trees. Home to the largest U.S. Marine Base, the town itself is actually quite small. All of the usual fast food restaurants, one very small market, two gas stations and odd shops and random curiosities. A couple of chain motels and you're right back on the road.

We stayed on highway 62 for the majority of our drive and veered off at Vicksburg to the I-10 east into Phoenix. Along the way we saw plenty of barren wind blown scenery. Some of the valleys were so vast and beautiful. The mountains that fell into hills then square off into mesas were interesting. The 'bad-lands' made me feel sorry for anyone who may have had to cross them in anything other than a comfortable car.

It surprises me, however, how many small homes are sprinkled out miles from the nearest town. We drove along side the rail road tracks almost the entire drive and cris crossed the aqueduct several times. At one point we noticed that the folks who passed this way often enough had taken some time to gather up the red, black, tan, and white stones from the rail way and write their slogans, names, tributes, or proclaimed their undying love for each other for all travelers to see on the railway berm. This advertising went on for about 5 or so miles. Some were quite elaborate with borders and fancy fonts, others spray painted in neon colours to stand out from the ordinary rocks, while still others had been there so long that time, wind, and other elements had scrambled the message a tad.

Trees and fences draped with shoes sprinkled here and there, 'lost soles' on the highway, and we found one very tall, very crowded pole with arrowed directionals for home towns from Tokyo to Oceanside, Boston to Chicago, and personal family homes....all such and such miles from that point. Some of the markers were accented with a sock, a shoe, or hat. Some of them had elaborate decorations, reflective dots, or paint; while one was hand carved and quite professional looking. At the base of the sign was a small box, weighted with a round stone. Inside the box, a photo of a young man, a few trinkets, and a paper note. Thor and I had found a marker in a GPS search game. Cool. The idea is that you go to a certain website, gather the GPS info and set out to find the marker. Find it and take a trinket while leaving one of your own for another player to exchange. We just got lucky, so we didn't exchange anything, just admired the adventure of others in the game.

We came upon Bouce. A small town -so much so that neither population nor elevation were posted. What they did post was a rather 'town-length' tribute to the soldiers of WW2 who trained there in tanks. A secret mission to prepare them for a trip to the shores of France and other operations that led to the success of the war. It was a nice memorial and impressive, especially given the locale and the size of both memorial and town.

We came across more "R.V. Park"s than you could shake a stick at. Seems anywhere the sand could be dragged clear of weed and stone you could post a sign and call it home.

I have to admit to never having been to Havasu or Parker in Arizona. Today was the perfect day to be there. The weather was warm and overcast as we are waiting for the storm to come in. I can only imagine this place during the heat of August. God bless those folks. There is the river (Colorado) that runs through town. On either side of the river banks there is growth, some weeds, small trees and a few feet of desert grasses. After that you have sand for miles, and miles, and miles more. This place was des-o-late! The folks there seem happy enough, however, to play and live along this great river and happier still that the tourists come around to enjoy it also. A small bustling town, full of people who love the desert life.

We drove past an interesting new 'plant' where many cows were eating peacefully under shaded canopies complete with over head fans to keep them comfy. I wondered why there would be a dairy so far out in the desert...well it's not a dairy, it's a plant for making energy out of recycled hay (if you get my drift). What will they think of next? Hello Ed Begley!

The surrounding area west of Phoenix has grown considerably since we drove through just a few years ago. Lots of new housing and industry! It's always a surprise for me when I see Phoenix on the horizon, a city out in the middle of vast land, POP! just sitting there like L.A.

We found our hotel in the downtown area and checked in. Construction is bustling around us and you can still hear it pounding away at 8 in the evening. But the city lights are pretty and our room is very large and unexpectedly nice. The large arched window frames other hotels and the downtown area, a parking area that is lit with giant white balls reminiscent of the 60's, and trees filled with white twinkle lights. It's pretty to see the cars going up and down the block and hear an occasional honking horn, and bus rumble by- stopping and hearing the "pecsssh" of the air brakes. We are obviously near an airport and we can see the planes as they fly by ready to land. Some of them are silent, while they others roar through the air between the buildings. I love the city and so all of the noise is music to my ears. There are trains here also, and we can here them call out a warning as they approach the intersection a mile or so off.

Tomorrow while Thor is in his meetings, I will wander through the city with camera in hand. The last visit here I spent considerable time at the Catholic Mission. Such pretty architecture I couldn't resist! This city is interesting in many ways. One of them is how there is a very modern building sitting cheek to jowl next to a hundred year old church, a high rise next to a small bakery, a commercial bank neighboring a condo. Never an empty lot, always construction.

Phoenix...here I come, you'd better smile.

Aunt "M".

Thor's Aunt "M" was probably my favorite of all the aunts. She was always up beat, happy, friendly, quick witted, loyal, smart, and full of determination and humour.

The first time I met her was at the annual Christmas party way back in the day. Eventually the extended family stopped attending the party, it just got so that the entire family couldn't find a large enough facility to hold the numbers that the family grew to. Because the parties became a thing of the past, we only saw Aunt "M" a few times a year. A wedding, a bridal or baby shower, or an unexpected 'run-into' at mom and dad's or uptown shopping. At bridal shower 3 years ago I noticed the Lladro nativity she gave the young bride, along with a few other "small" things. "Heah there "M"... you gave me a hand mixer, and a lousy one at that. What's up?" "I didn't like you! Hahahahah! Besides, this is one of the perks at haivng money. Back then I was poor and probably gave you a mixer I had in the cupboard. She gets the good stuff now, just because I can." and "M" had the biggest smile on her face. She was so happy to give a big gift.

Nine years ago Aunt "M" was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Terminal and only 6 months to live. hmmm. Well that came and went, along with all the chemo therapies. Recovery and then another diagnosis of cancer in her breasts. More chemo, surgeries and more recoveries to go through. Then another diagnosis of cancer in her liver. "What the hell, [she'd] been down that road- why not go again?" In the in between times she would throw herself into her tax job. During the chemo she would delegate and do what she could to keep a handle on her life.

I remember one night, about 7 or so, I was shopping near her town at a Costco. I felt a SMACK on my cart and someone telling me to "watch it, those are MY flat screens your looking at!" It was "M". To my surprise, there she was, bald head and a bright flowered blouse, shopping at Costco. She burst out laughing at my surprise, being yelled at and seeing her shopping. "What? Just because I had chemo this morning I can't go shopping tonight? Shut your mouth and help me get this into the cart." She wanted a large box from another isle and had noticed me before I noticed her. All in all, that's "M": matter of fact with a slice of humour.

She was the popular gal in high school who hand picked three other gals to be her life long friends. They attended her funeral and praised her for her way of searching out the "odd three" and making them feel important. Each year "M" planned and carried out a "reunion" at the beach and each year all the "Lucky Four" would go and spend the week. It started in high school. The first year of college "M" was away at college, but made the plans anyway. She was missed that first day. The second day she showed up, boyfriend in hand and asked the girls to go with them to Vegas...they were eloping. The third day the went back to the beach reunion before setting out for the honeymoon. These reunions eventually came once every 5 years but in the last 15 years or so they began to meet each other once a month for lunch.

"M" was intelligent. Her daughter remarked about her parents' romance during the war via letters. Ones that "M" would correct grammatically and send back to her husband to rewrite. Later, when he had come home, she encouraged her husband to bid on a historical house in the valley that would be moved by the city to make way for growth at a local college. They looked it over found a solution to a major problem that others in the bidding could not solve, and confidently won. The city gladly handed over the deed in exchange for the cash amount: $5.00. During the signing of the papers however the mayor explained the embarrassment of the sale for such a low amount and "M" and her hubby decided to up the payment to $100.00. The house was moved; they lived and reared their family, and nevered moved again.

She was a tax preparer and educator. One of the founders of the tax society in CA. She taught seminars even while in the midst of chemo, bald head and all. She found a certain satisfaction in being able to teach her clients how to find the codes that would enable them to save on their taxes. She wanted her clients to hold onto as much money as possible, no matter what their bracket.

Her son told us about her last "life goals" made on December 9th: "to live until January 2nd, so that her husband could count her as a deduction the next year." She passed away 90 minutes short of her goal. Her son said that was the first time in her life she was early for anything.

I think I heard her giggling at that remark.

Thanks Sis!

So how do you like it? Thanks to my sis (eeeeee!) I have a new look and a new blog thing-y. (Now you know why I needed her help to set it all up) Yes, I succumbed to the pressure and after hearing her say everything went well on her three accounts, she helped me switch over.

So here y'all go. There were a few glitches in the switch, but they should be fixed soon. I have, however, noticed that the new version of spell check just informes you which words are wrong...no help or suggestions on how to correct them. hmmph!

Enjoy!

Happy New Year

Well Happy New Year!

Happy New Year
Originally uploaded by wordsforsnow.

O.k., I admit to being a tad late on the Christmas post, so trying to redeem myself I will set up this offering:

Every year it's the same in my house. Thor becomes a small child around this time of year in antiscipation of a new year on the horizon. Full of promise and new opportunity he loves the idea of goal setting, life changing habits, and renewed energy; the ending of all the old bad stuff from the past year, the dead wood being burned, and the basic "new start"!

He giggles with delight as he sees himself slim, firm and tanned in a few short months splashing in a Hawaiian surf. He contently sighs as he imagines his new controlled and managed office, full of inspired coworkers being ever so efficient. He organizes his palm pilot and rearranges the desk, throws out stacks of old papers and gets ready for tax day! Yup, Thor is one of those guys who has the taxes accomplished as soon as the W-40s arrive in the mail. (I'm not really sure that's what they are called, that's how excited I am about taxes!)

His love of tax paying (NOT), but rather getting the deed done, comes from a favorite Aunt, who is a tax gal. Every year for his entire life his folks went to Aunt M for advice and number crunching. We went to her also, until the idea of getting it done faster appealed more than family obligation. Anyway, Aunt M is SO completely into taxes that she, in planning her soon to be end, has informed the hospice care workers that she is to be kept alive until the new year so that Uncle K can have another year of "benefits". Yup, she's a character, and we love her.

Back to Thor. He has a ritual. He takes down his share of Christmas (I don't even start until Jan.6th). He cleans out his files and goes through his "top drawer" for important receipts and papers. He cleans things randomly to burn energy. This year he is taking charge of an over run side and back yard. There are a few odd house jobs and then when all is done, he sits at his desk and pulls out a legal pad.

All those thoughts, the ones that have been formulating for weeks are now placed down on paper. Goals. All kinds of goals. Every year, without exception there is one for weight, exercise, money management, and better health. Others soon follow and he smiles to himself in satisfaction at his new found purpose in life.

After a few hours of contemplation he will prioritize the list and place it permenantly into the palm for a daily reminder. He admonishes me from time to time with quotes from prophets and world leaders who remind us that nothing is accomplished without a plan and daily goals to achieve them.

Most of all he loves the new start. The feeling of being able to start again new and fresh. The new day to make it right and be a better man, father, husband, friend, and "boss". He can forget the past mistakes of last year. A new day to be a new man.

For me, well I am not a fan of making more mistakes, of falling short, and making promises I may never keep...even to myself. So I have avoided the resolution part of New Year's Day for as long as I can remember. I don't like lists, I am not a fan of the typical New Year's Eve party, and a lot of it makes me a tad depressed.

We have agreed to disagree. For years Thor has tried to convince me and I have been stubborn. I look at it differently. I am religious. I admit it. I bite it all -hook, line, and sinker. And for me, my particular religion provides me with a way to have a new start, a new beginning, every week. Each Sunday I partake of an ordinance that I believe creates a new person in me. I have made covenants to God that, if I do certain things, God will forgive me in such a way that it will be a clean start each week. That works for me.

Thor also partakes in the same ordinances that I do, however his New Year's resolutions are still important for him. This isn't wrong, nor is mine wrong. For me, I need that weekly reassurance, that short time frame to renew and make new goals...privately, but yeah, I admit that I do make those same goals. For me, I can make it week to week, a year is just too long to check progress. Thor has more endurance, more patience, more determination a and faith in his ability to get the job done!

The one thing we do agree on is that we both LOVE new things, changes, variety. We wouldn't mind moving each year if we could just get up and move. It's the hassle of packing and unpacking, and the whole address change and bills being forwarded that make it nasty. Meeting new people and having different experiences and jobs would be welcomed. New. New!

Another is that if we could influence all we know to be happy, truly happy and content, we would snap our fingers and do it. We enjoy our life and wish for all we know to have the same.

Happy New Year to you, my readers. I wish you happiness and the ability to find contentment and joy in your life. I wish you a new year of memories and health, a curious Spirit, a creative edge, a thirst for knowledge, and opportunities to serve. I wish you all compassion and an open mind and heart, open ears to hear truth, and hands that welcome, and a heart that continues to grow. May we all find some where to contribute. May we find joy in little things. I wish us all the sight to find need and the time and wherewithal to fulfill those needs.

Thanks to all of you who read this little scrap of e-whatever. Thanks for the comments and support, friendship; and challenges when necessary. It's been a great past year...here's to a new year full of surprises and growth!

more from the Wild Animal Park!

The art and craft room

I need to preface this with

It took me 30 years to be able to have this room!

I don't want anyone to feel like this was just something I wanted and went and got. Even after the boys were gone it still took me 3 1/2 years to work long enough to afford to make it how I wanted. I had all of the clear containers before... just all over the house, tucked here and there, hidden away or stacked up in a corner! All of the books were lining the hall and shoved in other shelves. All of the supplies were stored in a garage or in a closet.

I am blessed!

There is still much that needs to be accomplished before the room is complete. Taking down the blanket from the window and putting up the blinds. The blinds are purchased, but Thor is still pretty busy at work and frankly, my "standing on a ladder" days are over! My knees are shot and it ain't gonna happen. There are still 3 pictures to be hung over the day bed. The window sill has need of grout. Now that all the book shelves have been installed and the furniture put back in, after living and working in the room for six or so months, now we have decided that perhaps we should have put down wood floors instead of keeping the old (and I mean OLD) carpeting. Live and learn. I need a comfy chair that is high enough to accommodate the height of the work table... might have found one...I'll let you know. Thor wants to put in a ceiling fan (with bright lights) for the summer heat when it comes. I am not arguing... this is a good idea!

The walls are a funky 'avocado' green to match the leaves in the Hawaiian print on the the day bed. And the closet doors are chocolate brown. All the book shelves were purchased as kits for $15.00 a piece. They only had black, and it matched so there you go! We purchased an inexpensive base board and painted it black to match and nailed it to the top edge, connecting the three and making them look like one unit. We finished off the separate shelf as well so they would all look better than $15 shelves.

Thor installed up lights on the top and behind the molding of the shelves. It looks great at night and adds much needed light to the room while accenting the coral, shells and palm trees, etc. on the shelf tops.

The slat board and glass shelves, along with the metal paper holders were purchased at a store closing. I knew what I wanted and, fortuitously, a store went out of business with those items when I had the money to purchase and at just the right time for our 'remodel'. This never happens, and I was really really lucky and BLESSED! I had to drive 1 1/2 hours three times to get all I wanted, but it was worth it.

I use no name brand reusable plastic food containers -always clear- to hold an organize my embellishments, glues, staples, brads, buttons, etc. I found the perfect folders on school clearance to organize my large sticker collections and other flat paper cutouts. I place them in page protectors and organize them by categories.

My work table is a piece of 1 1/2" thick butcher block 3'x5'. #4 gave it to me until he buys a house sometime in the future (at least 5 years). We have it upside down to keep the pretty side pretty, and supported by two $12 book cases that companion the $15 shelves. The smaller book cases hold books on one, and current projects and photo boxes in the other.

I wrapped a measuring tape around the front edge of the table for convenience. I also have measured marks hidden in the large shelves for measuring ribbon.

Clear containers hold: glue guns and sticks, yarns, felts, sewing supplies, threads, embroidery supplies, sequins, glitters, paints-stained glass, stencil, mural, fabric, poster, puffy, gel, craft, wood, glass, water, & oil, silica sand and flower press, scrap fabrics, magnets-sheets and rounds, book binder, paper making supplies, tablet binder, sticker maker, small sewing matching for scrapping, sea shells and sea life, crayons, markers, pens, pencils of all kinds, small ribbons, pins, tacks, adhesives, small frames, wood pieces, cookie presses, crochet supplies, beads -glass and plastic, vellum, small scrap papers, sponges and applicators, sea glass, tiles, grout, wire spools, and all varieties of stationery supplies, paint brushs, stipple brushes and sponge brushes, and water bottles!

There are pieces of coral, shells, and some other decorative iems on display. #5 made a ceramic tribal mask that just happened to look great, so I put it up also. Over the day bed I have three photos of ferns/tropical plants in black frames. I scanned the photos out of a botanical book I picked up during an after school sale a few years back at Bath&BodyWorks; a coffee table art book that was originally over $60 that I got for $10. Like I said, I have been planning this room for years and putting things aside for it a long time.

Thor drilled holes and mounted magnetic strips onto the closet doors so that I could use them for memos, ideas and other things when needed. On the tiny wall behind the door I have a photo collage made for me by my former deaf students.

That's the tour! Sorry it took so long to get it up.

finally, the craft room reveal...

Ornament Swap 2006!

O.k. a quick post in between trips. I will update more later about the trip to drop off a missionry last week, the family visit to the Wild Animal Park last Monday, and the upcoming temple wedding on Saturday in St. George; and then a baby blessing in Henderson on Sunday. WHEW!

In the mean time, here's someone pretty to look at while I am gone again. This amazing guy posed over and over for me and just chatted away while I took his photo. I think he likes the attention he gets from all the visitors at the park.

We also saw three rhinos charge each other and challenge a duel of sorts, some lazy lions, tigers, and some long necked giraffes. It was a great day, very inspiring- despite the woman walking around in her mink coat???

the Christmas trees

one of my Christmas wishes...

Divorce Lawyer
Originally uploaded by Markettara.

O.k. first off, everything between Thor and myself is great.

Second, if I were queen of the world I would make this one of my first decrees:

If you and your spouse decide you can't get along any longer, that you absolutely must get a divorce, then you have to play by these rules.

If you have minor children THEY get custody of the house. It's the grown ups who can't play nice, the kids have nothing to do with it, so why should their lives be the first to get messed up?

The deed goes to all the children. It will be held in trust until the youngest child is 21. At that time the house can be sold and the profits divided among the children. Parents: figure it out and pay it off. Let's just call it a parting gift for the kiddies. A kind of consolation prize for their emotional foundation being ripped from under them. Don't have a house? Then continue to pay rent on the one they are currently in until they are legal adults... get this: The kids ain't leaving, you are!

In the mean time, Mom and dad can pack up their clothes and favorite toys every weekend and move in and out of wherever they decide to live. Hey, there's still a master bedroom, Mom can have it this week, dad can have it next. Deal people, you're the adults! Find yourself an apartment close to town or drive all day to get here, the kids are staying put.

The kids are staying in the same school with their same friends. They are staying in the same church and going to the same neighbor's house for after school game time. You screwed up -they didn't. They get to keep the same teachers, doctors, grocery store guy... you two adults can figure out where to get new ones for yourselves.

Since when was it fun for a kid to pack up their little life in their backpack and schlep back and forth during their free time just to hear their parents rant about how bad the other parent is? The kids get to stay in their own beds and the adults can schlep.

The kids get to keep all the holidays at home. Yup birthdays and Christmas, Halloween and the fourth of July will be where they always were...at home with the kids. Mom and Dad, if you don't like it, don't come. If you decide to join the kids that holiday, then bring your happy face and pack your own backpack.

The whole idea here is that the kids' lives will not be any different than they are currently, other than the fact that mom and dad are only in the house one at a time.

Oh and another thing. When a crime is committed a criminal has to pay for his crime by "doing time". If you are of the religious sort, when someone commits a sin, they confess and some form of restitution is made. O.k. Here's the deal: You adults made a promise to stay together "until death" and some folks even throughout "eternity". You promised to make a home for little people that would be loving, nurturing and safe. You brought little people into the marriage. If you get a divorce, you are breaking your promise. Marriage is a legal contract, you are breaking that contract. True, it's not like you stole a car or robbed a liquor store, you're just stealing your child's stability and robbing them of trust and emotional good health.

Soooo, to pay your children back for said crimes against them you will not date "seriously" until the youngest is 18. The only thing you'll be "doing" is time. No need to bring in other people and mess up their lives too. Your children don't need two sets of screwed up "parents" and they don't need step siblings to compete with or miss when they go home. Your children do not need to know you have a sex life. Do you, even today, want to know that your mom or dad is doing the horizontal mambo with anyone? Neither do they.

Once all the kids are 18 or older then you can go out and mess up your life again with someone new. As an alternative to dating, how about seeing a good therapist? Find out why and where you messed up in the first place.

Some folks think this would never work. I disagree. Divorce is so easy now that it is almost a no brainer. Some people actually believe they will get married and divorced at least once before they find the 'right' person. If they knew the above rules were actually law, maybe that would cause more folks to pause before making a commitment (and children) in the first place. Perhaps, if when divorce is looming on the horizon, with such a law in place, it would cause partners to reconsider why they 'fell in love' in the first place and work to get it back to that place again.

I am a firm believer that no matter what has happened in the marriage, if both partners want to reconcile it can be done. If one does not want to stay married the other can't do too much about it. Either way, the kids were not at fault and should not be punished.

Back to that part of whether or not this can succeed. Yes it can. Thor has a business partner who, some 15 years ago, divorced and decided with his ex-wife this plan would work. They have been schlepping for 15 years. The kids are happy. The parents are finally happy. It's a decision that can work if you think of your children instead of how much you want revenge.

That is all.

Mele Kalikimaka!

Mele Kalikimaka!
Originally uploaded by S'mee.

This is a close up of some of the ornaments on the beach tree. I made these two little hula dancers from store bought ginger bread men, gave them faces and added shells and real starfish. There are also real shells,anenomes, and star fish on the tree, as well as reeds. This year I added these really cool spheres I found that are somewhat irridescent. They go directly over the bulbs and look like bubbles! I also have sprays of wired sequins and glittered 'coral' and 'seaweed'. There is a tiny paper mache 'Santa' in beach gear standing guard at the base of the tree. The star on top is two large star fish back to back.