2010 - Bye Bye

Looks like another year is gone.

Started out in an apartment.
Almost divorced - ha!
Moved into our new house.
Graduated a daughter from high school.
Moved offices at work - twice.
Learned how to blog!
First Thanksgiving in new house.
Buried a good friend.
First Christmas in new house.
Discovered genealogy.

Still married - *smile*
Still love the Lord.
Life is good!

Happy 2011 everyone!

Come Climb My Tree

For the last week or so I've been obsessed with researching my family tree.  I finally decided to start another blog dedicated to that pursuit.

You can find it here.

My personal posts will still go here ..  all genealogy stuff with go over there ..

Who am I ?  I'm finding out some neat things!

Goodbye Lynda ...

I've been largely absent in mind and spirit this week.

Last Friday, December 10, 2010, a dear friend and co-worker died of a massive brain hemorrhage.  She wasn't the epitome of health, in fact had many issues, and was in fact here in the hospital when she died.  They were preparing to discharge her when she collapsed.

An unlikely friendship, she and I.  She was in her 60s, I'm in my forties.  She was a Director, I am a peon.  She was a total cat person, I'm a dog person.  She was driven, hyper, a work-a-holic, I am pretty laid back and you pretty much get 40 hour a week out of me .. period.  She was Catholic, I am a non-denominational Christian.

Our friendship started more than 11 years ago and over the years we have worked together, we have shared work and personal lives, we vented about our work aggravations, we leaned on each other, supported and ragged on each other.  It was just "us"..  we could be ourselves with each other.

No matter how sick she was, or how much she hurt or didn't feel like it, there was always a smile on her face and she was always at work -- unless she was in the hospital, or they forbid her to come in.

I knew she was declining.  I knew she was sick more than she was well.  But I was caught so off guard.

I visited her on Wednesday in the hospital.. we joked and laughed about her obsessing over her husband while SHE was in the hospital ...  I didn't make it there on Thursday.  Friday morning when I arrived in my office, I had another co-worker there to tell me that "they coded Lynda this morning"..

Everything happened fast after that .. but we all knew she was gone.  Her son arrived that afternoon from Denver, they took her off the vent .. she was really gone by 7pm.

I will miss her everyday..  she was a HUGE part of my life at work.  I find peace in knowing that she knows and loves the Lord ..  but I'm selfish, and want her back.

Goodbye Lynda ..  I hope you know how much you are missed.

Gettin' My Craft On.

So, we're getting eggs every day.  Pretty eggs.  Pale blue, light green, olive green, "pink" ...   Seems a shame to just crack them and throw the shells away.  But what to do??

Apparently people who have been doing this "chicken thing" longer than I have, already know the answer.

I'm a member of an oline forum for chicken lovers called Backyard Chickens (see the "my pet made me breakfast" button to you right).  Here's what I've learned about "What to do with all those pretty egg shells".

First you blow out the yolk and let the egg dry.

Then you can paint, decorate, or just gloss those pretty eggs.  Add end caps and pretty ribbon to hang and you have homemade decorations.

Mine aren't done, but they are a start.

For more ideas, better instructions,  and pages and pages of pretty egg decorations, go here:

BYC- Gettin' Your Craft On Thread

Now, I need to go finish the ones I've started so I can have decorations (by NEXT Christmas) ....

Today a Year Ago - Thursday Blog Hop

We were living in an apartment, watching the progress on our house.  Thank GOD that is all over.  Here is the post from one year ago:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quick house update .. the plumber finally decided to do some work this week .. not much .. but at least he's working .. Here are a couple exciting shots.. :P

This is our master toilet .. :D

And shower..

Meanwhile, back at the apartment --  We wish you a Merry Christmas .. and a fun time was had by all! 

Cranberries and Popcorn

And COOKIES ....



DD12's cookies

DD17'S cookies

DH's cookies :rolleyes: :D

The best part of the night for me was when DD17 hugged me and said "It's really great to spend time with ya'll."

We've been so busy, I guess they feel somewhat neglected.


A great nite!!

Christmas Traditions Blog Hop

It's beginning to look alot like ... CHRISTMAS!!

The decorating has begun.

Table Arrangements.

The Mantle

I'm not really sure what the little alien is doing to the sheep - kids?!?!  I didn't even notice that when I was taking the picture..  lol

But one of our family "traditions" is to go cut a live tree and decorate it.  This year the participation was lean.  Aaron doesn't live with us anymore, Shannon was busy with college homework, so it was Julie, Steve and I.  A lovely visit to a different tree farm this year and we found the "perfect" tree.

I hope everyone is enjoying the season as much as I am.

Blessings.

Lap-rador Deceiver

I don't know .. when we bought her, I thought we were getting a LABRADOR RETRIEVER  ..  she doesn't retrieve and she hates to be cold ..

I think she's a LAP-rador DECIEVER ...

What do you think??

Update on Uno and D'oprah ..

Uno is 5 weeks old now ..  D'oprah is still being a good companion, ie. adopted mother .. she has, however, started laying again and I need to figure out how to get them moved outside.

While Uno seems to be happy and energetic, I still think she is stunted and "runty" ..  I guess time will tell how she grows out in the end..

At any rate, I hope these two become the best of friends so that D'oprah will FINALLY have someone that doesn't beat the mess out of her ..  poor baby!

FIREFLIGHT

This is a shameless plug for one of my favorite Christian Rock bands ..  Have a Blessed day!

Fireflight - website

AUDIO PLAYER

This is for those who wait

Another day, another waiting game

A little different but it's still the same

I am here, but where's the one I'm longing for?

I'm having trouble feeling all alone

Will my heart ever find a home?

I want to hope but sometimes I just don't know

I know I'm not the only one



So we sing a lullaby to the lonely hearts tonight

Let it set your heart on fire, let it set you free

When you're fighting to believe

In a love that you can't see

Just know there is a purpose

For those who wait



I want to open up my eyes

I know that all I need is time

I'm growing stronger every single day

God, I'm going to lean into You now

Letting go of all my fear and doubt

I can't do this on my own so I'll give You control

I know I’m not the only one



The pressure makes us stronger

The struggle makes us hunger

The hard lessons make the difference

The pressure makes us stronger

The struggle makes us hunger

The hard lessons make the difference

And the difference makes it worth it

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Desperate

Seek and you will find, they say


but I've been looking everyday

for a way past this wall that's in front of my face.

I'm on hands and knees searching for my faith.



I know there's so much at stake

but I don't know if I can take one more pat on the back saying I'll be okay.

Can't you see me whole life is in disarray?



You've got me desperate.



I know You hear me,

Would You give me a sign?

Reel me in before I've fallen in line.

You've put me on a path I don't understand

I'm standing on a ledge waving my hands.



You've got me desperate (do You see me?)

Desperate (do You hear me?)

Desperate (will You help me?)

You've got me desperate.



I know You're my only hope

The only One who truly knows how it feels, what it's like when it all starts to fall

You're the One I can trust who hears when I call.



You've got me desperate.



I know You hear me,

Would You give me a sign?

Reel me in before I've fallen in line.

You've put me on a path I don't understand

I'm standing on a ledge waving my hands.



You've got me desperate (do You see me?)

Desperate (do You hear me?)

Desperate (will You help me?)

You've got me desperate.



Some things I'll never figure out

Until I let hope erase my doubt.



You've got me desperate.



I know You hear me,

Would You give me a sign?

Reel me in before I've fallen in line.

You've put me on a path I don't understand,

I'm standing on a ledge waving my hands.



You've got me desperate (do You see me?)

Desperate (do You hear me?)

Desperate (will You help me?)

You've got me desperate.



You've got me desperate. (Oh do You see me?)

Desperate (do You hear me?)

Desperate (will You help me?)

You've got me desperate!

Sparkle

(I'll have to finish our vacation posts when I can get some time on the computer with all the pics ..  moving on now.)

Sunday my "big" chickens were harassing my bantams ..  relentlessly.  For those that don't know chickens, they can be really vicious to each other!

One of my bantams, Sparkle, discovered that she could hop onto the bantam coop and then to the swing-up windows on the big coop.  She stayed up there and watched the action below --  large mean chickens growling and chasing her "sisters" around the woods.

"Hey!  Look where I am!"

"...  and look where YOU are!"

"I'm so special!"

Fortunately chickens have short attention spans, so pretty quickly the big girls forgot why they were harassing the bantams and went on about their foraging ..  Sparkle was able to join her flock and life was peaceful again.

Day Three - The Three Sisters

Good morning...

We did the unthinkable ..  we stayed at a Bed and BREAKFAST and skipped out before breakfast.... eeeek!  Breakfast was at 9:00 and, well, we had a full day of riding to do so we split shortly after the above sunrise.

Stopping briefly in Kerrville for breakfast at Del Norte Restaurant (where I dubbed the place "Where Service Still Matters") we headed out toward our ride destination.

SR 39  out of Ingram was an exciting surprise.  This little windy road ran along the Guadalupe River and crossed it about a dozen times along the way.  I quickly realized the frustration of being in a beautiful setting yet riding your own motorcycle.  Lack of a free hand, combined with very few places to safely pull off the road, came with a realization that my pictures were going to be fewer than I had planned, but I would try to make them worth it.

The Three Sisters

Tx SRs 335, 336, 337.  100 miles of windy, twisty, hilly roads ...  a bikers destination that did not disappoint.  335 is all up and down and sometimes called "The Roller Coaster".  336 is full of twisties with a solid wall on one side and a sheer cliff on the other .. exciting a beautiful ..  We dubbed 337 the "Sleepy Sister" ..it was a bit of a break from the other two ..

Again, both hands on the handlebars and few places to safely stop .. but I managed to get these:

Couldn't be complete without a tarantula, huh?

Lunch at Mama Chole's in Leakey

We ended up in Rocksprings, which put us about 80 miles from the Mexican border, before heading back to Comfort.  Arriving shortly after dark, we retired quickly - exhausted - and vowing to start tomorrow much slower and enjoy breakfast before leaving Comfort behind us.

The end of a mile-eating day on the motorcycles..  our reason for this vacation .. and the satisfaction of having ridden the Three Sisters..
Goodbye Day Three.

Holekamp House - Comfort, Tx

We arrived the afternoon of day two ...  and wow!  Greeted at the door by our hosts (and the owners) John and Mary, and shown to our room - Cecilia's Sunrise Room upstairs.  TWO queen beds and plenty of room to sit and stretch out ..  fresh baked cookies on the night stand ..  we were home (for the next two nights anyway).

The Holekamp House

The breakfast table.

A quick trip into Comfort netted us a bottle of  Singing Waters Vineyards "Sweet Lupe".  We really bought the bottle because of the cute Yellow Lab on the label .. but it was JUST the kind of wine that we like ..  a semi-sweet merlot.  Description on the bottle reads:

"With a sugar content of about 3%, Sweet Lupe emerges with a wet nose, sturdy legs, a regal body and a playful exuberance. She always delivers a soft, sweet finish. Sweet Lupe is a semi-sweet Merlot. Enjoy!"

We arrived in Comfort on the opening weekend of the Scarecrow Invasion. Although there weren't many (and Steve seemed to not be in the mood for scarecrow hunting) I did manage to snap a few shots.

After dinner at a little family-owned place called Gunther's (where I had the most TENDER pork tenderloin I've ever had) we sat in the swing on the front porch of the B&B and began to enjoy our bottle of Sweet Lupe. 

Much to our delight and surprise, John and Mary joined us (after asking permission) for some lively conversation and GREAT history lessons about the area.  John is  a fabulous historian.

Then two other guests, Marion and Evelyn, joined us also and it was just a beautiful cool evening filled with laughter and joy - made complete by  a half dozen deer that wandered through the front yard.

A beautiful end to day two.

Day Two .. Vacation

Before settling into The Faust Hotel for the night, we were delighted to find the Huisache Grill.  It was within walking distance of the hotel, a half block off of San Antonion Street, and 15 feet from the railroad track.  In an old storage building, it has been beautifully remodeled and decorated into a very comfortable and inviting place for good eats.

We shared the Asain Salmon Salad and each had a bowl of the most delicious Roasted Chile Corn soup ..  yum yum ..

On our walk back to the hotel, we popped into Callahans Irish Pub for a brew ..  Samuel Adams, I believe ...

Yes, I've even included the rare picture of me..

The next morning we were off to start DAY TWO ...

Silver K Cafe, Johnson City

We love this place and were not disappointed after our ride out there just for lunch.   



Silver K Café's Famous House Salad

Mixed greens tossed with toasted pecans, gorgonzola cheese & balsamic vinaigrette. With Chicken.

Prickly Pear Cactus Tea

Buttermilk Pie and Bread Pudding

A beautiful start to day two, but we need to get to Comfort and our B&B ..