What Rhymes With 70?

 So if 67 is heaven, and 68 is great, and 69 is fine, what the heck rhymes with 70?  How about heavenly? What ever!   Today I turned 70.  I know some of my blog buddies, other friends, and family hit that milestone and have gone on quite nicely.  I hope to be the same because I also know many who did not.  I remember hating hitting 30 back in the day but then after that I really didn't care about the other milestones.  I think70 takes my breath away because I feel it starts the real winter of my life.   I want to try to live the best years yet to come with happiness, grace, faith, family, and friends as my companions.  I hope to continue to enjoy birthdays, holidays, kiddos, and grandkiddos as I've done all my life.   I'm still in the workforce and hope to continue for a little longer if all goes well.  I try to take that day to day and I think I'll know when it's time to hang up my surgical gown and gloves for real.  This morning I was brushing my teeth and a tooth broke! Oh boy I thought, this can't be a great beginning of the next decade! Well, it's going to get fixed and all will be well.  I still have many projects ahead I want to accomplish with my loving hubby and best friend.  Thanks Jack for putting up with me all these years!  Last night I looked at all my birthday posts from the last 14yrs. This post makes it 15.  I found out I posted pics of me at different stages in my life.  Looking back at them reminded me of John Denver's song, "Poems and Prayers, and Promises".   The lines that go:

I have to say it's been a good life all in all...it's really fine to have a chance to hang around.                          And talk of poems and prayers and promises and things that we believe in                                                    How sweet it is to love someone, how right it is to care.                                                                                How long it's been since yesterday, And what about tomorrow                                                                       And what about our dreams and all the memories we share.

So I will end this post with my traditional photo of a life that has been good all in all.

Looks like June of 1959 was just fine

I think every kid back in the day had a pony photo like this.  I remember when the man came around with the pony and took this shot. I'm sure every kiddo in the neighborhood got one...outfit and all!

I could say '72 was pretty cool..at least that's what I thought of my very first car I saved for and bought. A 1972  Chevy Malibu.  Loved that car!

'98 was great as I worked in the operating room full time.  I'm grateful for a career that lasted and still goes on all these years.

We danced on the floor in '74.  Let's keep moving to the music Jack!  

OK 70, let's hit the road on this new decade.  I'll check back in 10yrs for the final evaluation!

Happy birthday to me!

 

Time Travel

 I was reading an article on YAHOO the other day about a man who claims to have been a time traveler. Now take in the fact that it's a YAHOO read and most of the time those stories are bunk.  However, it got me thinking about how I would feel about being able to travel back in time.  Not sure I would want to go forward because then I would find out things that could be sad or disturbing in some way. (Unless I had the winning lottery numbers! Ha! just kidding..sort of!)  Would you change anything in your past if you had the opportunity to do so?  I can't think of too many major things I would change except for a few health changes or maybe taking more time to sit with my kiddos when they were little. Hug my family members more.  Things like that.  Time seems to fly by so fast that it's amazing to me to realize my older kids are getting close to 50 and have gray hair and starting with some health issues that happen as we age. Aging, if you're lucky, is inevitable.  I just mentioned to my sister that I don't mind growing older I just don't like the aches and pains that accompany that or not being able to do the same things I could just a few years ago.  Oh well, I guess it's time to stop whining about things like that and just be glad to be here today and have the possibility of tomorrow to continue to learn new things and grow as person.  Something that does bring the time flying issue up front is celebrating my Grandkids birthdays.  This past week Anthony turned 21.  Holy cow, I think he was just a tiny squirt last week, not this well over 6 foot man in college and living on his own!

Young Anthony

Older Anthony with Cameron.  Happy birthday Anthony! He's such a great kid. He goes Akron University full time and also works.  His job takes me back in time because it's at a movie theater.  That was my very first real job when I turned 16 and I loved it. However Anthony would not want to go back in time to my paycheck. I made 1.25 an hour which was good pay for a movie theater back then.  He says he makes 18.00 an hour today.  How times have changed.  Of course you could see a movie and have snacks in my day without having to get a loan! Ha!   I had another "Back To The Future" moment yesterday.  It has to do with a coat my Mom had given me when I was pregnant with Jordan. He's 38 so that was a long time ago.  It happened to be a coat my Mom had when I was little!  It's a fur coat that I can remember snuggling up to Mom when she wore it in the Winter.  I was probably 5 or 6 so you know that coat is now 65 or so years old.  I had a conversation with Mom a few years ago and told her I still had that coat hanging in my closet. Her reaction made me laugh. She said "GET RID OF IT!"  Well, I never did but was going to last year as a white elephant gift at our family Christmas. Midge told me to give it to Amy, my niece, instead because she would love it.  So I did and she does love it. She had it cleaned and a few repairs to the sleeves done to the tune of over $200!  Here's the result. Amy wore it to a formal Fireman's fundraising gala yesterday.

I think she looks stunning in it! It's been saved and loved again.  I'm so glad I kept it for her! It's full of good memories for me and now will have more memories made again.  So perhaps we can go back in time when we see old photos or reminisce with family and friends about those "good old days" of yore. Would I want to really relive anything?  Nah, I'll just be happy going on as God planned.  Day by day and leave time travel to people on YAHOO!    

How's Loveuary Going?

 This month is more than half over and Tuesday we celebrated Valentine's Day.  Some have mixed feelings about this Hallmark day.  I know the card, flower, and candy businesses enjoys it!  I don't mind a day that makes you remember someone special with a simple card or treat.  I always gave our kids heart shaped boxes with candy and now I give that to my Grandkiddos.   Although the ones out west get cards with a little yaya moola!   I got a nice arrangement from Jack:

I love it because the flowers can be replanted so no waste and more enjoyment in the future.  Plus it's darn cute!

I made lasagna for our dinner and then made extra to give my oldest son and his family.  A salad and garlic bread completed that feast...and then the gooey brownies topped it off:

They were a bit messy but putting them in a heart shaped dish helped make them more presentable.  They were all eaten anyway!

When you're cooking all that it must be done with a red apron and notice the red checked curtains! A complete Valentine's day party!  It was a nice day but we also had a nice weekend before that.  We went to see our Grandson, Cameron, play basketball.  We hadn't been able to make his games this year so I was happy we were able to get there on Saturday.

He's number 5.  

He's a hustler!  Unfortunately they lost..51-53....a close one the whole way! They start tournament games now so good luck Cameron!  One last item to complete my week.  I went to one of those paint and sip classes.  Now remember, I'm not a drinker and we actually had the class at our church women's meeting last night.  Also full of non-drinkers!  It was a hot chocolate or cider or water sip with yummy treats to have while doing a painting of Jesus.  I didn't take pics of the decor but it was super cute with a snowman theme.  Who knew that here in Ohio yesterday would be a sunny, 70de day!  But fun was had by all and here's my finished product:

It was done with watercolors and I left the face blank because we all have our image of  what the Savior looks like and so if you look you can fill in the blanks to fit your image.  Well, it's almost the weekend and I'm off today so Jack's taking his lunch hour from the office and we're going to a little Irish Pub called O'Bryan's for lunch with a bunch of his high school classmates.  They meet once a month and sometimes there's about 30 that show up! We're a few of the "still working" group but I'm glad we do get to attend most the time.  I enjoy this group even though I didn't go to high school in Ashland they have made me feel very welcome.  Enjoy the rest of this Loveuary week!

Letters In A Box

 In past blog posts I've shown letters that my Dad wrote my Mom when he was in WWII overseas.  Well, a few days ago I came across a few letters of my own.  I hadn't looked at them in years and I dusted off the boxes and gazed inside. These weren't letters from Dad, but a few cards to me from my Grandma and my Aunt Gwen.  Both have left this world years ago and re-reading these notes brought them back for a little visit just for me. Also in the box was an old fashioned hand held fan and some hankies...one that was tatted from my Grandma.  Tatting is an old skill not done too often today.  I also found the box with letters Mom wrote to me in December of 2008.  She took a week and wrote some things for me about when I was born, and other memories of growing up in our neighborhood back in the day.  She didn't mail these to me but put them in a box and secretly left the box in the guest room when visiting.  I found it after she had left and re-reading them today brought tears to my eyes.  I miss her every day but knowing she and Dad and all other family members...my Grandma and Aunt Gwen too...are all together, makes me smile. 

I like to think my blog is like a letter to my kids of what I was doing these past 15yrs since starting it in February, 2008.   However, maybe a written letter that is personal just to them would be something to do and give them one day.  I know how much these letters to me have meant and will lovingly store them back in their boxes to be enjoyed on another day when I just need a little visit from family.  Many people will get Valentine's Day cards tomorrow.  These were mine today. 

Hello Dear February

 Hallmark calls this month...Loveuary..Ha! Anyway, I had a lot of love that was delivered to me today from a dear blog friend, Cathy.  Thanks so much for these sweet gifts!

Cathy (from Acorn Hollow) is a hooker...rug hooker! Anyway, she did these super cute hot pads that will get tons of use from me who cooks and always needs them...plus they say Easter to  me and it's a very favorite holiday! That lovely towel says Whispering Pines by the pine tree in the pic but also New England with that moose there! I do hope to be able to visit her area one day as it is so beautiful.  However, right now they are in bitter, bitter cold and snow so I'm saying prayers that our warmer weather that's coming this week will reach her soon! Thanks again Cathy! Bloggers are the best! 

Speaking of blogging...I got my blog book a few weeks ago so all of 2022 is in the history books! At least the Whispering Pines history book. That makes 14 books so far.  Hopefully I can continue as the years go on. It's fun to look back and see how the year went and how we survived it! Ha!  So February is here and the ground hog saw it's shadow.  I would be upset by the thought of 6 more weeks of Winter but let's be honest...there's going to be 6 more weeks no matter what! Plus it was blue skies and sunshine here which always makes me smile even if the temps are in the 20's or like yesterday, the teens!  I was admiring the blue sky the other day when I saw something in the sky that made me grab my camera.

Can you see it?

How about now?

How about now?! Even though it was daylight out the moon could be seen almost all day.  I'm sure there's some scientific name for it but I just thought it was cool!  The days are staying lighter longer now and I'll sign off with this shot from the other night that was still light at 5:45!

The sun was setting fast!  I'll be more excited when it's still light out at 8:30 and I'm outside still mowing the lawn!