California Here We Come!

We're going to Disneyland!! It's just what we need as a family -- time away, at "the happiest place on earth," just the four of us together. No worries. Fun. Pure and simple.

I'll see you in a week.

To Bailey and Harvey

Hope your Valentine's Day is a happy as mine.
love,
Hershey

Happy Valentine's Day

(click on image to enlarge)

Thanks for

(1) Antibiotics

(2) Eggs

(3) Jacks

A Glimpse Into the Future?

This photo, along with the article, brought tears to my eyes. I can only hope that I might have this one day, too.

Inside Jokes

While talking on the phone with a friend last night, she signed off by saying "chin chin," making me laugh. After hanging up, I started to think about how lucky I am to have several close friends and how many of us have our own inside jokes -- most have been on-going for years. Here are some of my favorites.

Leslie: "Quad."

Betsy: " 'Member when we got those tattoos?"

Sheila: "We're not in Kansas any more."

John: "You don't need ice."

Dawn: "Yeah, butt."

Sarah: "Chin chin, then dance."

Paul: "Thanks, Frank."

What makes them so amusing is that none of them are what they seem. I'm not sure if they're really funny or that I find them so because I love my friends so much. I suppose it doesn't matter. They make life better.

How about you and yours?

Valentine Past

It was long ago, but I remember almost every detail. It was a long-distance romance, and he had asked me to go "up north" for the weekend to celebrate Valentine's Day. I thought this gesture meant big things for us, and I was more excited than I could ever possibly describe now. Being the worrier that by nature I am, I fretted over the weather. Were we crazy planning a romantic mid-winter get-away in the northeast? Would he be delayed or, worse yet, have to cancel completely? No. There was none of that.

He arrived at the airport on schedule. I still remember watching him descend the stairs from the plane (there were no jetways at our little airport in those days). His smile was at least as big as mine. I could see he was happy. He had no idea I was even watching him. As he came through the door his smile grew bigger. And with one small kiss and one giant hug, I was able to relax. I knew that this was going to be the best weekend of my life!

We took a quick stop by my apartment to drop off his things. We'd planned to go out to dinner and then leave first thing in the morning. Dinner was romantic and lovely, as things usually were with him. And having not seen each other for a number of weeks, love was in the air. That was until he suddenly, unexpectedly jumped up and raced to the bathroom. Something definitely wasn't right. "Hey, are you all right?" "Yeah, fine." And then I heard that unmistakable sound. He definitely wasn't okay. What seemed like hours later, he finally emerged from the bath -- greener than I'd ever seen him, sweating as if he'd just run a marathon. "I'm not feeling too great." "Yes. I can see that. Go climb into bed and I'll get you a ginger ale. Maybe that'll help." When I returned he was greener and sweatier than before. "I don't think I can sleep on this thing." Uh oh. I had one of those swishy swooshy waterbeds (stop laughing, it was 1986). I understood completely, and we moved him onto the couch. Much better. Thinking it was possible that he'd imbibed a bit too much at dinner, I felt it likely that we'd still be off to the north in the morning.

Wrong. He didn't seem worse in the daylight, but he certainly wasn't any better. He was really sick. Regretfully, I called and cancelled our reservation at what looked to be a fairy tale spot with a fireplace in our room. Oh well, I was just happy to spend time with him. Through thick and thin. For better or worse (and how I was hoping for that in those days). I pampered him throughout the day. It wasn't so bad. Until....I started not feeling so great myself. I thought, "No, I'll be okay, it's just sympathy nausea." Wrong again. Before long I was the one in the bath becoming more friendly than I ever wished to be with the toilet. Now what? "I think I've got what you've got. I need to go to bed. Yell if you need anything." And off I went. But THE BED. Crap. I couldn't sleep on the fool thing either. So I dragged the pillows and covers onto the floor and slept there. On his way to the bath my companion saw me there on the floor. "What are you doing?" "I can't sleep on the bed either." "You take the couch." "No. I'm okay." When he came by again he urged me a second time to take the couch. I told him, "I think I'll just go to my parents' and sleep there. You'll be okay without me?" "No. I'm leaving. You are never going home to your mother on account of me." And before too long a cab was honking in the parking lot. Off he went to a nearby hotel.

We talked a couple of times over the next day or two. Neither of us was in the mood to chat. Monday rolled around quickly. He stopped by on his way back to the airport. A quick kiss to the forehead and a small bouquet of flowers and he was off, back to that other ocean.

Our weekend did not turn out at all as I had planned, hoped, or dreamed. But I've never forgotten it. And neither did he. Oh sure, there have been many more Valentine's Days since. Those I've shared with my husband have been the best, but none have been more memorable than my Valentine Virus weekend.

Today

(1) Liz

(2) Doggie breath

(3) Hot chocolate

Why do I become nervous whenever a police car is driving behind me? Is it a throwback to the days when I'd probably have an illegal substance in the car? Or does everyone get nervous? And if I should start driving erratically because of the stress, do I tell the officer "I'm not stoned, just a bad driver?"

Does google earth scare anyone else but me? I think it's creepy to be able to put in your address and see your home pop up. And you can even zoom in on it! Thankfully, it seems that the photos were taken during winter. The pool cover is on -- whew, imagine being in your swimsuit for all the world to see. Talk about adding insult to injury. I find the entire concept disturbing.

Do the fish that swim around under the ice in the bay feel cold?

If I appreciate the good looks of a twenty-something man, does that make me a dirty old woman? And if I appreciate the looks of a fifty-something man, does that make me just an old woman?

Why do these silly thoughts rattle around in my head?

Being Grateful

(1) Bright sunshine

(2) A friend's birthday

(3) Butterfly kisses

One More Reason....

to love my Ocean State!

The Routine

February's finally here. The groundhogs say spring is just around the corner, though it hasn't really been winter here yet this year. School and family events dot the calendar. We've been busy with the routine of family life. Sometimes it feels like we should slow down. Instead...

It's becoming more exciting now that February is here. The kids are looking forward to their winter break from school. We're taking them to California where, hopefully, the sun and warm weather will shine on us. We're doing a kid vacation. Disneyland and Legoland are the main attractions. Daughter also has her heart set on visiting American Girl Place. The kids are as excited as only kids can get (yes, I'm excited, too). It's been non-stop chatter..."do you think we could..." "will we be able to...." " I can't wait to..."

This week we're having a family outing where we'll all go get our passports and then go out for lunch. We are going to Bermuda in June with the entire family for my parents' 50th. Our kids are lucky to have been there twice before, but now a passport is required to return home. The kids think it's great. I think so, too. I pulled out my passport and am embarrassed to report that is has been expired for eight years now. Definitely time for a new one.

A vacation for Hershey at the kennel requires a kennel cough vaccine, so he and I made a trip to the vet. He is not a good patient. He poops all over the parking lot whenever we go. It is an ordeal for both him and me. This visit, however, he was the best behaved dog of the bunch in the waiting room. A first for him. I am extremely proud -- not of his having pooped in the parking lot, but of his good behavior. And for that he was rewarded with a big fat shot into his bum. Poor boy. I did give him a bone when we got home.

The weather has gotten very cold. Today it's expected to only reach 18F. That's pretty cold! But no snow in sight. We've not been sledding once. I know I whine on and on about it, but that's what we live for in winter. There is a ski place not too far from here where they've been making snow. I don't ski (I'm breakable), but they now have snow tubing, which sounds like fun. Maybe over the weekend.

Life bumps along. Things generally are better than worse, and for that I'm grateful. I've begun making a list of three things I'm grateful for each day. Here are today's: (1) the dog didn't eat the bread I accidentally left on the counter for more than five minutes; (2) husband called just to say hi and to let me know he won't be late tonight as originally planned; (3) dad brought over super bowl goodies last night, but I fell asleep -- so I got to eat them for lunch today.

Kids are coming home from school soon. Time for the old routine. It is good.

What?

We've come a long way, baby?

If you think you've seen it all, check this out.

http://www.gopfl.com/

Just Stuff

Nature's creation this morning.

Still not enough for sledding, but it's better than nothing!

Son's creation.

Daughter's creation.

Who ate the burnt pie (and how does one burn a frozen pie)?

Guilty.

But I didn't want to eat this thing!

(Just another example of why I don't bake!)