Monday, December 05, 2005

December Is Here...

December is here and I am glad. Thanksgiving was nice, too. We had another good visit with our friends the Leech's. It seems the road to Steamboat gets shorter every time we drive it. We did have a longer trip home though as we drove through some of the bad weather the Mountains and plaines states had last weekend. I always say I don't want snow to visit me, I will go visit it. And we certainly got some on this trip.

I have an appointment on Wednesday with my neurologist to determine just how bad the two discs in my lower back are herniated. I will be so glad when this problem is fully diagnosed and resolved.

I called Kip tonight and spoke to him briefly. He will be coming back to Arkansas Christmas Eve and he will be staying home for good. His diesel training will be complete. I'm very proud of his accomplishments up there in Alaska. He has a job lined up here with an excavating company and he will maintain all their heavy equipment. I know he is very anxious to be back and near his fiancée, Jessica. One would hope he is will be excited to be around us, too. But I know how that goes.

Well, Have a great week. I hope to have more interesting posts soon.

P.S. Are any of you like us and yet to decorate for Christmas? I need to get that monkey tree up!

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Ithica

As you set out for Ithica
hope your road is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
angry Poseidon - don't be afraid of them:
you'll never find things like that one on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians, Cyclops,
wild Poseidon - you won't encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope your road is a long one.
May there be many summer mornings when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you enter harbours you're seeing for the first time;
may you stop at Phoenician trading stations
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfumes of every kind -
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
and may you visit many Egyptian cities
to learn and go on learning from their scholars.

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you're destined for.
But don't hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you're old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you've gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvellous journey.
Without her you wouldn't have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.
And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you'll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

~ Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)

Saturday, November 19, 2005

My Salsa Recipe


This is the original copy of my salsa ingredients that was penned over 10 years ago. I still have it in the same gold frame that it has been in since the summer of '95. It can be found in our kitchen, tucked away somewhere out of the way, but always ready in case we need a salsa fix. I no longer make the salsa in my "Handy Chopper" but rather in a food processor. I only pulse it for a couple seconds, just enough to chop up the ingredients.

I have posted this recipe for CJD and others that would like to have it. I would love to learn how to can it in jars so that I can keep it on hand. Anyone out there that cans, please send me instructions.

Enjoy!

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Thanksgiving Memories

These three pictures represent the things that keep me coming back for more, every year now for 19 years: Endearing friendship, terrific scenery and great food!
These photos are some of the earliest ones I have, from the second year of our gatherings, 1988. I was only 26 years old but Beth and Charlie haven't changed a bit. My how time flys.

When I saw this snapshot I laughed out loud. This was in 1989 in Colorado Springs. Charlie and Tao Woo entertained Beth and I to some interpretive dance. At one point I think Tao turned into a whirling dervish.





No Thanksgiving is complete without several phone conversations with Betsy to check in on their celebration. This particular year, 1993, Beth was prepared with a headset and extra phones.












Over the years several friends have joined us in our celebrations: Barbara Powers-Berger, Cathy Schwamberger, Lance Osbourne, Cole Smith, Brady Cline, Aaron Szabo, and Jordan Duncan. This was in 1994 when Lance joined us. He was only on the ski slope for about 15 minutes when he fell and sprang his wrist.


This was the first year the Chris and the kids joined us. It was about a month before our wedding in 2000. We rode out with Jim, Barbara and Alexander Berger. What a great group. My how the kids have grown.


And this was the first year Andy Leech joined us! 2001. What a wonderful addition to the Leech family and the holiday. And I'm trying to remember if this is the first year we shared the holiday with the Murphy's? They sure have become good friends, too. Aaron Szabo and Brady Cline joined us this year as well.


Well, I could go on and on but you will have to catch the whole story in our book that will come out in a couple of years, hopefully. We have discussed on several occasions the idea of putting together a book of snapshots, recipes, crafts and humor of 20 years of Thanksgiving Memories.

Hopefully one of these years we are going to convince my mom and dad to join us on our journey. That would be the best year ever! For years mom has made bread and cookies to send out with us. Her bread has become know as "Nada Bread" (her name is Nada). And I am not making this up when I say that she has probably made us close to two dozen kinds of bread over the years. Our favorites are Pumpkin Swirl, Banana Nut, and my favorite, The Gift of the Magi (filled with chocolate chips, coconut, cherries and all kinds of goodness. There is sure to be a large chapter in our book dedicated to the Nada Bread!

Well, this has been a little random, but hopefully just a little window into our almost 20 year tradition. I hope this year is full of wonderful memories as well! We leave in a week or so!

Friday, November 11, 2005

Cabinetry and Country Music















For almost as long as we’ve lived in this house I have been telling Chris I was going to build an island for our kitchen. For a couple years now I have been doing research, reading books, visiting home centers, looking for ideas and drawing up plans for an island. This week I finally put all the planning into action and I have been working diligently in our basement building the cabinets that will make our island. I’m very excited about being done with this project. Not because I’m not enjoying the task, but simply because I’m anxious to see it finished. I really think it is going to be a huge improvement to our kitchen and our home.

While working on this project I have had a very antiquated and tired boombox tuned into our local “Hee Haw” country music station. Why, I don’t know. As a general rule, I do not listen to country music. A couple years ago I decided that I would no longer say the words “I don’t like country music” because it had become so diverse, with so many different artist and styles that I thought surely I could find something in the genre that I could appreciate.

Well, after a week now of listening to songs with lyrics such as (and I am not making these up) “Mama’s in the graveyard, poppa’s in the pen…”, “Tequila makes her clothes fall off…”, and “She never cried when Ol’ Yeller died, she wasn’t washed in the blood of the Lamb…and I ain’t gonna cry when she’s gone”, I have, once again, decided that I do not like country music.

Country music is like a roller coaster ride of emotions. At one moment I’m feeling happy for the estranged wife that “let herself go” to Vegas and Honolulu and the next I’m in tears for Sarah, the cancer patient teen whose boyfriend just compassionately shaved his head. And when the songs are over I feel just as sick to my stomach as I do when I get off a roller coaster.

I guess the good news is that I am now in the running for a new four-wheeler. I called into the station when they announced that the next five callers would be put in a drawing for this “toy” and I was caller number one! The guy that answered the phone simply asked me my name and asked promptly, “You do know you have to be present to win?.” I said yes but as soon as I hung up the phone it occurred to me that I had no idea who where or what business was holding the give away. Zoinks! I had to listen for another half hour before they announced it was at the local “Car-Mart”. Again, I’m not making this up. Car-Mart is a real place. Kind of the Wal-Mart of dealerships I guess.

Well, I guess I will continue to listen to the country music while I do cabinetry. They seem to go together. And who knows, maybe next week there will be a drawing for something that I can really use, like a hot tub to relax achy, breaky back.

Have a great weekend.

P.S. Jewell turns 18 today! Yee Haw!
P.P.S. The island is 6'x3'

Sunday, November 06, 2005

All About Me

I always find it interesting to read these type of lists that people email around. Here's how I filled out the last one I saw thanks to my friend Andrew:

Nicknames: Genor, Gern
Parent's names: Marvin and Nada
Number of candles that will appear on your next birthday: 44
Date that you will blow them out: March 23
Pets: 2 cats: Jaki and Niki
eye color: Blue
hair color: Red
Piercing: none
Tattoos: none
Ever egged a house? No
Favorite color: Blue
Hometown: Amboy, Illinois
Current Residence: Harrison, Arkansas
Favorite Food: Currently, Lasagna
Been to Africa? Yes. Egypt
Been toilet papering? Every weekend my last 2 years of high school.
Loved somebody so much that it made you cry? regretfully, yes.
Been in a car accident? Yes, a few
Croutons or Bacon Bits? Bacon Bits
Sprite or 7UP? Sprite
Favorite movie: Too many to choose. Maybe "The Sixth Sense"
Favorite Holiday: Thanksgiving
Favorite Day of the Week: Saturday
Favorite word or phrase: ?
Favorite Hobby: Carpentery and crossword puzzles
Favorite restaurant: The Brown Pelican, Santa Barbara, CA
Favorite cola: Diet Coke
Favorite sport to watch: College basketball
Preferred type of ice cream: Vanilla
Favorite Sesame Street Character: none
Disney or Warner Bros.: Disney!
Favorite Fast Food: Steak and Shake
When was your last hospital visit? Never been in the hospital
What color is your bedroom carpet? Beige
How many times did you fail your driver's test? Passed 1st time
Have you ever been convicted of a crime? No
What single store would you choose to max out your credit card in? Nordstrom
What do you do most often when you are bored? Play solitaire on the computer
Name the person you are friends with that lives the farthest away: Chris Wulliman, Sudan
Most annoying thing people ask me: If I can fix their cell phone or look at their cell phone bill
Bedtime: Anytime after 1:30 a.m.
Favorite all time TV show? Too many to choose
Last person you had dinner with: The Stuckey Family
Last movie you saw in the theatre: don't remember

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Fall Colors



This is a tree that is directly across the street from our house. It's beautiful this time of year. And this year the color is especially brilliant. You can see in the snapshot the gap out of the top. A couple years ago it was struck by lightening and they lost a big limb and the top of the tree. It really was a shame, but as you can see it is still beautiful.

Monday, October 31, 2005

Four New Monkeys

Some of you are aware that I have a monkey Christmas tree. For those of you that didn't know that, I do. It is a 7' narrow Christmas tree and every single ornament on the tree is a monkey. Why? I really don't know. I guess it goes clear back to a conversation I had with Beth Leech one afternoon while strolling State Street in Santa Barbara. I told her I wanted to collect something but I didn't know what to collect. She suggested monkeys.

My mother is the Christmas tree queen. She has... plenty. At least one in every room of their home. And several of them are theme trees. I think it started way back on the farm when she started collecting pig ornaments. Then there was the kitchen utinsel tree, the victorian tree, the mittens tree... it goes on and on. Well, I wanted a theme tree after Chris and I got married and I suggested monkeys. Why? Like I said, I really don't know. But everyone thought it was a good idea and now, several years later, we have many monkeys on this tree.

Yesterday I was in Springfield at the mall and I found 4 new ones. They aren't anything spectacular, but anytime I find one I'm pretty happy because they aren't that easy to find. Here are the ones I got yesterday:







Happy Halloween / Creepy Photo


This one is for you, Andrew. I had forgot about this picture until this evening when I was going through snapshots. This is a photo I took at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, last month when we were up for there for the Irish Festival. It was taken down the hall on the second floor that was supposedly used for the movie "The Shining." Remember the child on the bicycle? Well, when the photo was developed, there was this eerie light that was showing up in the picture. I have seen and heard a lot about images similar to this purported to be manefestations of spirits. Isn't this creepy. Happy Halloween!

Kitchen Valance

Just a quick post to let you guys see some of my handiwork. This is the valance/awning that I made last week for our kitchen window. I think it's pretty neat. Chris really liked it, too. I started and finished it in one day. Pretty obsessive, but I was anxious to get it done. I ordered the 8" cafe curtain rod on the bottom several months ago and it had been leaning up against the wall for too long. I know Chris was glad to see me finish this project. Now on to finishing the island! That won't be a one-day project though.



Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Elba













I feel like I'm jumping around a lot with my blogging, but I have to mention my newest travel destination passion: Elba. Why? Well, honestly I would have to say the interest was sparked by Roberto Crochetta, my physician friend in Rome this past July. One afternoon while discussing great trips, he mentioned Elba as the perfect Italian beach retreat in early summer. He made it sound so perfect that since we returned in August, I haven't been able to stop reading and researching the place.

Roberto suggested a two week Elba/Tuscany trip as a near perfect 2 week Italian experience. And now after a couple months of thought and research, I feel he may just be right. I would would love to make a trip in April or May for a couple weeks, but with Jewell's graduation and Kip's wedding, I am quite certain that it will be out of the question next year. But I am going to keep dreaming and planning. Who knows what the new year will bring?

Here are a couple cool snaps I've found of the Island:














Come join me to the Old Country!

Sunday, October 23, 2005

The Motorcycle Diaries


Chris went to Gentry to visit with her sister this weekend. She took Jewell so Bo and I are home alone for a couple days. Last night I went to Blockbusters and picked up a half dozen movies to occupy some of our time.

The first one that I watched was a foreign film called "The Motorcycle Diaries". Released in 2004, this movie is the story of two Argentineans, Ernesto Guevara, a 23-year-old medical student specializing in leprosy, and Alberto Granado, a 29-year-old biochemist, as they traveled out of Buenos Aires in 1952 on a 1939 Norton 500 motorcycle. Before they parted some eight months later, they had ridden, walked, hitchhiked and sailed some 8,000 miles of Latin America. En route, they came face-to-face with a continent of poverty and injustice they yearned to change. It was a beautiful movie that made me reflect on my journey with my compatriot, Brady Cline, in 1997.

As I am researching more on the lives of these two individuals though, the picture is becoming less attractive.

"The Motorcycle Diaries" is a film about the sowing of revolution designed for the approval of bourgeois gentlefolk - for the very type of person that Che, once one himself, would not think twice about putting a bullet into. Why didn't the film acknowledge that violence and repression were at least as much a part of his legacy as egalitarianism, martyrdom and a really popular poster?

Well, I will continue to study more on the lives of these two very interesting people and you have a good weekend.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Koshari

When I was traveling in Cairo, Egypt in 1997 I was introduced to a vegetarian dish called Koshari. It was such an interesting and delicious meal that we returned to the restaurant a couple different times to enjoy it. After returning to the states, I often wished I had a recipe for this dish. I looked several times on the Internet with no success and after several years, had pretty much given up hope of finding this recipe.

Then one day several months ago I met an Egyptian woman in Harrison. Her husband is a doctor here and they had just returned from Cairo. I got up he nerve to ask her if she had ever heard of Koshari. She had indeed. She took great pleasure in sharing with me that it is a very common meal served in “fast food” type restaurants, sold from carts by street vendors and made in homes all over Egypt. “I’ll bring you the recipe” she said. I was ecstatic and the day she brought it to me I was so excited. It was like I was bringing home a part of my trip that I had lost.

Well, tonight I served Koshari to my family for the first time. And I think it was a big hit! It will forever be know in our house as “Egyptian Chili” and I think it is something we will have from time to time since everyone liked it. I think that the hot, spicy, red sauce that you put on top is the kicker. I understand that there are many variations to the sauce, and quite frankly mine was not even close to the hot sauce we had in Cairo. But it was delicious and I share the recipe with you! Enjoy.














KOSHARI
2 cups Bismati Rice cooked
2 cups small pasta (penne, elbow or shell), cooked
1 cup lentils, cooked
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
¼ cup butter

HOT SAUCE:
6 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cumin
¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
Chili pepper to taste (if you like it hot!)

GARLIC SAUCE:
Crushed garlic
½ cup vinegar
½ cup lemon juice

1. Cook rice according to package instructions and set aside.

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions and set aside.

3. Wash the lentils and soak covered in water for at least 2 hours. Drain. (Although there is no need to soak lentils as with beans, soaking in warm water for several hours or overnight helps bring out the lentil’s flavor and maintain its shape during cooking.) Rinse lentils and put them in a pot, covering them with water and bring to a boil. Then simmer on a low heat until almost all water is absorbed and lentils are well cooked, about 20 minutes. Add extra water if longer time is needed.

4. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown and slightly crispy, 10-15 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.

To make the Hot Sauce:
Slice garlic. Sauté in small amount of oil. Add vinegar, tomato paste, salt, cumin, water, and chili pepper, if desired. Cook until mixture boils. Lower heat and simmer until cooked.

To make the Garlic Sauce:
Combine the crushed garlic with the lemon juice and vinegar in a bowl and leave for one hour till flavors blend well.

The dish should be arranged as a layer of lentils (on the bottom), followed by a layer of rice, then another layer of lentils and another layer of rice. Sprinkle the onions and the sauce on top before serving.

Try it! You'll like it!

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Global Trekker






I enjoyed getting reacquainted with Ian Wright this evening while watching the program Global Trekker on the Discovery Travel Channel. I have surely missed his great English humor. I used to watch his show, Lonely Planet, over a decade ago when I was living in Siloam Springs. It was in great part the inspiration for my traveling in 1997. I have many VHS tapes in a box somewhere down in our basement of old episodes of Lonely Planet. I was absolutely overjoyed earlier in the week when I saw Global Trekker advertised. I was quick to set the TV to record the show... all episodes, new and old!

I could feel the adventure travel bug stirring within me while I watched the show this evening. I remember all too well the joy of finding a $10 hotel in Egypt; the joy of stepping off the ferry in Aqaba, Jordan; being fascinated watching a woman weave a rug on the isle of Rhodes; and playing cards in the 2nd floor kitchen of a hostel in Athens at 1 a.m. Surely there will me more of this for me in my future.

You can read a great interview with Ian Wright at this address: http://www.pilotguides.com/community/features/ian_wright_interview.php

Enjoy!

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

211

Sorry for the hiatus. But today I finally got my blog back (as in "How Stella Got Her Grove Back").

I had to make a trip to Siloam Springs for a Dr.’s. appointment this morning. I was in Siloam all last week with several Dr.’s appointments to try and remedy this sciatica problem that has plagued me now for the better part of four months. I had a follow-up appointment with my MD (officially my "Primary Care Physician" as of about 9:35 this a.m... I got sick of my local Harrison MD just throwing painkillers at the problem for over four months!) this morning.

Well, after the visit and yet another Cortizone shot in the rear, it was still early in the day so I decided to venture over to Fayetteville to do some window-shopping. I didn't have much on my list of things I needed to buy. Just a gift for my sweet little nephew Kevin German who turns 5 tomorrow. Incidentally, he's getting a Toys-R-US pirate’s sword, buccaneer eye patch, skull and crossbones flag and a nifty looking glass all packaged neatly together. And the sword has this neat feature where if you push a button, the blade lights up and you hear the clinking sound like two real swords clashing. I'm sure little pirate Kevin is going to have hours of fun pretending with these items.

After finding Kevin's gift and a much too long walk through "Tuesday Mornings" and walking out empty handed, I was feeling a bit down. So, I got this bright idea to drive up to Rogers to try and meet up with my therapist of days gone by. I drove up 71B and took in all the new construction and growth. I must say that stretch of road is the ugliest business district I think I've been through in a decade. Regardless of the growth and prosperity of that area, they still seem to have no zoning codes. Crap boxes next to multi-million dollar business complexes. I would NEVER want to live, trade or own a business on or near that stretch of highway.

Once in Rogers I had a little bit of a difficult time finding the old offices of my therapist, Ross. I remembered it to be in the historic area, but I just wasn't quite sure what street it was on. It has been over 7 years since the last time I was over there. After driving back and forth for about 15 minutes I found it. The sight was ominous. The grass was overgrown and there was a Remax sign in the front yard. The place looked haunted. I couldn't believe it. My suspicions were true. They had closed up shop. Or at least moved to another location. The sign listing all the counselors was still standing in the yard, dusty and worn, with their phone numbers listed under their names. Ross' was the first one. At the top. A little poignant I thought as I always remember Ross as the best. At the top of the heap.

I took a stroll around the house, peaked in the windows and I could tell the place had been deserted for quiet some time. Inside I could see furniture was still there and the desk still in Ross' office just where it had been the last time that I had sat with him. As I approached the porch, high in the tree next to the house, a crow cawed several times as if to say, "Go away, nothing to see here. They're gone my friend. Their job is done." It was eerie.

I walked back to the van and picked up my cell phone. One by one I called each number under each name on the sign to see if I could get an answer from at least one to find out what happened. Each one answered with a message, "I'm sorry, the number you're trying to reach has been disconnected or is no longer in service at this time." Well, all but one. Ross'. But all that I got from his number was a mechanical automated answering machine stating "Please leave you name and number and someone will return your call as soon as possible." I did leave my name and number and hopefully I will get a return call. But if my gut instinct is correct, I don't think my phone is going to ring. I think the only "caw" I'm going to get if from the crow that has made his home in that old tree.

Across the street I saw an older woman leaving work, walking to her car. I thought she may know the story so I approached her and asked her if she knew how long the offices had been closed. "Oh goodness," she said, "I've worked here for over 2 years and there has been a for sale sign in the yard the entire time. I would guess a few years." And I must say the placed looked it. It was time to go.

Well, although he will probably never read this, Thank you Ross for all the time you spent listening to me during those hard years. Thank you for your sympathy, thank you for you understanding and insight and kind words. Thank you for never telling me what to do, but letting me figure it out. Thank you for cutting me off, even though I wanted to continue and I would get angry because you said "That's it this week!" You are a wise man Ross. Thank you for introducing me to Melanie during our first meeting. I would hate to think where I would be today if I had never met you guys! Thank you.

As a good friend of mine says, "Pain has been my teacher." Certainly many lessons I have learned. But I truly think that this poem on pain is one of the best, and one lesson I am still perfecting. But at least I know it. Thanks for this poem Ross:

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
by Portia Nelson

I. I walk down the street.
There's a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost.....I am helpless;
it isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

II. I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place;
but it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III. I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in....it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV. I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V. I walk down a different street.

I will have to walk down a different street to meet with Ross again, but hopefully someday we will meet up and I can sit and visit with him. He wasn't just my therapist, he was indeed a caring friend. I will never forget him.



PS And this is just too weird… I just looked down to see what time it was when I finished this article. It's 2:11 a.m. Take a look at the picture and notice the street number on the house. 211. It's no coincidence my friends. And, oh yes, Gene has definitely got his Blog Back!!!

Monday, August 29, 2005

Memories of Irish Fest 2005

My thoughts are drifting these days to merry memories of the Estes Park Scottish/Irish Highland Festival. Last year was my first time to go to this huge event. It is our country's largest festival of its kind and is held each year the weekend after Labor Day in Estes Park, Colorado. I am hoping that I will be able to join my Steamboat friends again in a couple weeks for the 29th annual festival.

Here are a few pics from last years event:

Saturday morning parade with pipers piping and drummers drumming, kilts and plumed bonnets, brave steeds bearing medieval jousters. Great time.



Hungry? A meat pie perhaps. These were delicious!



Andy enjoys his new sword.



Brad gets his picture with a Guinness gal at Friday night's Ceilidh (kay-lee, a Celtic New Year's party) while the Marine Band Twentynine Palms drum corp plays in the background.



"Tattoo" - The word means: evening drum, bugle, or piper signal recalling soldiers to quarters. The earliest form of the word is from the Dutch "tap toe" which literally means to "close the tap" of the cask in the barrooms.

The modern version of the tattoo is a parade ground concert of military bands. The tattoo at the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highland Festival includes all of the visiting guest bands: the Marine Band Twentynine Palms; 3rd Infantry Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps; Air Force Pipes & Drums of Canada; Celtic cannons; Carol Reed's School of Irish Dance; Head Talk - a drumline; and Dogs of the British Isles.

The Saturday night tattoo at the festival is known throughout the world for its beautiful mountain setting and powerful performances. The massed bands' rendition of "Amazing Grace" was truly a moving experience.

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Brilliant Slideshow of Cline Wedding

For anyone that has not checked out Brady and Jeanette's wedding website, you must check out this tender, beautiful slideshow. The song that you will hear in the background is the tune that Brady's dad, Steve composed and played during the ceremony. It is absolutely charming. I feel so blessed to have been able to be there.

Simply click on the title of this entry and it will take you there. Be patient, it takes a few seconds to load.

Enjoy!

A Reason To Celebrate



I couldn’t be happier to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of my oldest stepson, Kip to Jessica Dixon of Lead Hill. Kip proposed to Jessica last Wednesday and gave her a beautiful engagement ring.

Jessica is the daughter of Jeff and Amy Dixon of Lead Hill. She is a Senior at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, majoring in Public Relations.

Kip completes his training at Alaska Vocational Technical Center in Seward, Alaska in January. His focus is diesel/heavy equipment technology.

Kip and Jessica met through mutual friend’s three years ago. Chris and I have loved Jessica since the first time we met her. She is a treasure. She is intelligent, loving and very witty. I wish them all the best for a lifetime.

The wedding is planned for Saturday, May 27, 2006 at the Dixon’s farm near Lead Hill. I just realized, that’s only 9 months from today. ZOINKS!

Friday, August 26, 2005

The Summer of '68



I don't know why I like this snapshot so much but it's one of my favorites. It's a picture of me and my sisters around our kitchen table. I was six years old and had just finished Kindgergarten. Perhaps this was the first day of summer vacation?

I'm sitting next to my oldest sister, Cindy and across the table is my younger sisters, Vonda, in pigtails, and Linda, in red. I'm always amazed when I think that mom had 4 kids in 5 years, almost to the day. Cindy was born 12/16/60 and Vonda, 12/10/65.

Here are some interesting things that happened that month, June 1968:

* June 1 - Helen Keller died in her sleep in Connecticut
* June 3 - Andy Worhol was shot and wounded as he entered his studio by one of his art stuendets
* June 5 - Robert F. Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles and died the next day
* June 8 - James Earl Ray was arrested for the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. 2 months ealier
* June 29 - In a letter to the church entitled "Humanae Vitae", Pope Paul V condemned birth control
* Median Household Income was $7,743
* Unemployment was at 3.8%
* A first-class stamp cost $0.06
* 31 American troops were reported missing in action in Vietnam.
* Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs Robinson" hits #1
* Rolling Stones release "Jumpin' Jack Flash"

Have a terrific day!

Thursday, August 11, 2005

More Cline Wedding Snapshots


The wonderful trio that entertained us at the reception. They were terrific!


Sparkling Wine over the Nahe. I liked this snapshot.


Steve and his new daughter-in-law. Brady is a chip off the ol' block.


Brothers.


The California couple. James and Dawn Marie Prather enjoy getting the party started.


The Arkansas couple. Chris and I later in the evening. We were thouroughly enjoying ourselves.


Great snapshot of James and Dawn Marie Prather.


Boys behaving badly. Oh what a night!


Wulliman was having a great time and Trixie seemed to be enjoying herself as well.


Jeanette prepares to throw her boquet.

Cline-Dari Wedding

This is a photograph of Brady and his mother. I don't think that I have ever seen Brady as happy as he was on his wedding day. He was handsome and quite Debonair, don't you agree. And Nancee was simply radiant.








The happy couple -- parents of the groom, Steve and Nancee Cline. This photo was taken just minutes before the ceremony began.
















The wedding prayer. I love this picture. I suppose I should have been in quiet comtemplation with the couple as well, but I couldn't resist the photo op.
















Brady and Jeanette leave the church as husband and wife for the first time showered with red rose pedals. I wonder if they will remember this? It was really such an exciting moment.










Mr. and Mrs. Brady Cline with Brady's twin brother Mychilo
looking on. This was outside the church where a brief mini-reception was held. We toasted with sparkling wine the newlyweds.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

A fine, bright new day... PLEASE

Just a quick note before I hit the hay. It's been a long day (very long) and I still have a lot on my mind and "to do" list, but I have a 7:30 a.m. meeting tomorrow and I must crash. One last long day before we take off at 11:30 Wednesday a.m. for Europe - I am so very psyched.

I hope that I can find a way to put all the sh*t from this day behind me so I can really enjoy our vacation. I can't wait to be back in Italy and enjoying their wonderful culture. It will be a wonderful reunion seeing Dr. Roberto Crochetta and being a guest in his home again. I can't wait for him to meet Chris and share his world with her, too.

Well, I can hear the wind and see the rain on the window pane. Perhaps it's been sent to wash away the grime from this day, to usher in a new day... a fine, bright new day. That would be my prayer this evening.

Peace.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

"Yes" to "Just Say 'No'"

I am loving the Capital One commercials with David Spade playing a snarky, dismissive customer service rep. They are some of the funniest I’ve seen in a decade. I especially like the one where David tells Patrick Warburton (David Puddy of Seinfeld fame) "No" one too many times and Patrick chases down Spades chubby co-worker in the bright yellow shirt. Hilarious!!!

And here's and intersting fact, I just read that Capital One spent over $285 million in 2004 on ads!

What's in your wallet?

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Red Bites

I had a great day today. But it didn't start that way.

I was very frustrated on my way to work this morning, wrestling with a negative attitude. This has been an especially rough week at work. A rough month for that matter, both at work and at home. I was considering making a phone call to someone who could cheer me up when something caught my eye. I spotted a book in the passenger seat next to me that I had purchased a few weeks ago. I had picked up this book, the "LITTLE RED BOOK of SELLING" by Jeffrey Gitomer, a few weeks ago at Barnes and Noble in Fayetteville.

While waiting in line for my sausage and cheese biscuit and a diet Dr. Pepper at the Hardee's drive-thru, I reached over and picked up the book and proceeded to open to the pages marked by the book's red ribbon page maker. The first paragraph I saw was titled "Bad day or bad attitude." It was one of the books informational bites called "Red Bites" and it hit me between the eyes! Here it is:

"Bad day or bad attitude? People always blame their attitude on the day. I'm having a bad day is baloney. What you're really saying is: I've let other people get to my attitude. I've let other circumstances get to my attitude. That's not only unjustifiable, it's a sign of mental weakness. If you tell yourself you're having a bad day, I promise you will have one, and if you tell yourself you're having a great day, I promise you will have one. The day is not bad unless you name it bad."

Talk about a slap in the face! It was a gift from God and it was just what I needed.

I had a great day today!

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

SIDEWAYS

I received two nice Father's Day gifts this year. The first was a Cobra XRS 9678 Ultra-Performance Digital Radar/Laser Detector from Chris and the kids. This was not something that I ever asked for, but something I have found I absolutely love!

My second gift arrived in the form of my 20 year old stepson, Kip. We picked him up from the Little Rock airport on Sunday. He will be in Harrison for a couple months this summer. When he approached me in at the airport, I didn't recognize him. He's put on several extra pounds over the past six months, cut his hair quite short and grown a rather long, scruffy goatee. But as soon as he spoke, I recognized him. It was the strangest feeling to be looking at someone giving you the look of "you know me," yet your mind is saying, "I've never seen this person in my life." But is was so nice to be with him again and see how he is growing into independant adulthood.

I saw the movie Sideways on Sunday night. The movie is billed as a comedy, but proved to be a serious, and tragic look at how two men struggle to cope with addictions , immoral inclinations, and their extraordinary average lives. This movie is certainly not appropriate for children of any age. The movie did have some beautiful clips of Santa Barbara wine country, but save yourself the pain of enduring all the crude comments, obscene sexual references and nudity and visit the vinards in person. No stars.

Chris and I now have less than a month before our trip to Italy and Germany. We fly out of Springfield, MO on July 2oth. We get more excited every day. I brought home a 10 CD set of learning the Italian language about a week ago. We'll see how that goes.

Well, just a quick blog to attempt to get me back online. Have a terrific week.

Gene

Sunday, April 24, 2005

Italy Bound

Chris and I are are planning a trip to Europe this summer. We received our plane tickets in the mail this week and boy are are excited. We spent a good bit of time this evening at Barnes and Noble in Springfield looking at maps and guide books of Italy.

One of my best friends, Brady Cline, is getting married in Frankfurt, Germany on July 27th and we are so excited that we will be able to be in attendance. I'm excited to hear that there are several other mutual friends that are planning to make the journey and witness this union. I'm sure it will be a festive and time for everyone there.

I have to make a trip to the bank Monday morning and fish my passport out of our lockbox. On our drive home from Springfield this evening, it became obvious to me that my passport has certainly expired. I really wasn't even thinking about it until this evening. I have to get on the stick and get this taken care of as we leave in less than 3 months.

Happy Birthday to my niece Erin Ramos and my good friend Jim Berger, both celebrating today!

Ciao!

Thursday, March 31, 2005

Secrets & Surprises

I love secrets and surprises. Usually. But this year Chris opened her birthday gift a week early because… I JUST COULDN’T WAIT!!! I don’t know why I was so anxious to give Chris her gift this year, but I have been begging her to open the present every night since I purchased it. I got her a food processor. A good one. But wait…

Before you criticize me for buying her a kitchen appliance, please understand that Chris has been asking me for this for the better part of our marriage. And this weekend when I saw the KitchenAid Ultra Power KFP600 for less than ½ the retail price at Tuesday Morning’s in Fayetteville, I couldn’t resist. What a deal! But now I will spend the next week trying to find another gift that I can give her to open in a week. Any suggestions?

I enjoyed Amos Lee’s performance on Jay Leno this evening. What a musician! David Letterman introduced me to this wonderful artist just a few weeks ago and I have been hooked on his music since. A former elementary school teacher, this young troubadour really belts. I can just imagine the excitement his former students must experience when they hear his smoky voice on television.

Lastly tonight let me put in a plug for a new product I am trying out. It’s the Homedics TheraP Magnet Insoles. They are really terrific. I must confess that in the past I have been a big skeptic and scoffed at the idea of magnetic therapy for pain relief and pain therapy. However, since I have been wearing these insoles, for almost a week now, I have experienced great relief. It’s amazing. Working in retail and standing on a concrete floor for 8 hours a day has really taken a toll on my legs and feet. Most any evening I go home with achy feet and calves. But since I have been using these insoles, the pain has almost disappeared!

I hope you have a pain-free weekend.

Friday, March 25, 2005

Tribute to Terri

As legal doors have been closing one after another this week for the Schindlers, parents of Terri Schiavo, I have been stirred emotionally. I'm frustrated and angry about this case. I am one who chooses to error on the side of life and find it unconscionable that anyone could deprive a fellow human being of water and food, regardless of a health condition.

It is certainly a case that is very complex, however, I feel the decision of whether or not to pull the feeding tube is quite simple. No food or water equals certain death and I really feel that this is a crime. This is justice triumphing over mercy and is shameful.

I have pondered what I can do and I must confess I feel quite helpless. But after watching a program on television this evening, I realized that one thing I can do to honor Terri is to protect myself and my family from such a similar situation. I have learned that living wills are outdated and the importance of health care proxy's, "Advanced Directives", and "Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare" are the only things that can really protect us now, in this age where there are people in power that believe you are better off dead than disabled. So I spent the better part of this evening surfing the web for a legal site that could assist me in drawing up these documents for myself.

I found my assistance at http://www.lawdepot.com/ and I would encourage everyone, regardless of where you stand on the Schiavo case, to visit this site and get these two documents, an "Advanced Health Care Directive" and "Durable Power of Attorney", on file in the event, God forbid, you should be in Terri's shoes. It is just a few dollars and money well spent.

Tomorrow morning, before I head to St. Louis with my family for vacation, I will be stopping by our Notary to have my documents witnessed, signed and tucked away in our secure place, hopefully to never be seen again. But should that day come, my family and I will be protected.

God Bless you and God Bless America!

Monday, March 21, 2005

Remembering Ice Cream

I spent the evening tearing apart a framed collage of snapshots from way back in 1996. I am putting them in a more appropriate format, a scrapbook of sorts that will record some of the more poignant times in my life. I once read that "If life is worth living, it's worth recording." I've taken that to heart in several ways over the years with journaling, photo albums and videos. This new book I am working on is just another way of leaving a legacy in pictures. Please ask to see it if you are ever at the house. I'm anxious to show it off.

I took Chris and Bo to Branson on Friday night and we enjoyed "Lobsterfest" at Red Lobster. Coincidentally, I was the only one that enjoyed lobster. But everyone enjoyed a wonderful meal. We met up later with my Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law, David and Dana Ecklund, at the Stone Cold Creamery. What an incredible place that is, too.

This oh-so-good ice cream is blended with add-in's right before your eyes on frozen granite slates. You can order in three sizes: "Like It", "Love It", and "Gotta Have It." And let me tell you, all sizes are NOT created equally! Bo opted for some chocolate lovers nightmare and I, a coffee lovers dream. We both ordered the "Love It" size, however Bo got the deep end of the scoop. I was convinced the girl behind the counter thought I ordered a "Like It", but when she rang us up, it was apparent she just didn't have a good gauge on the size thing yet as she charged us for the same. But it was really a blessing in disguise, though, as the stuff is so rich I could barely get down what I did have. It was a real treat though and I'm sure we'll be visiting that place again... soon.

Anywell... have a great week.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Swimming

Tonight I'm just getting in the water. Give me a minute to explain...

It has been quite some time since I have been swimming. It's my favorite form of exercise and I'm pretty bummed there is not a public (indoor) pool in this town. I have had some wonderful periods in my adult life when I swam somewhat regularly.

Swimming was one of the only "PE" classes I had in college. I remember those early mornings my sophomore year when my roommate Greg Tucker and I would get up oh so early to hoof it over to the pool to put in our time. I can remember the first time I could swim the entire length of that pool underwater without coming up for a breath! That was a pretty cool day.

Then there was the "season" in my life when I worked at DaySpring and decided I was going to loose weight for James and Dawn Marie Martin-Prather's wedding. I started mid-April going to the pool at JBU every day religiously to put in my 20 minutes. Every day for 3 months. I dropped about 45 pounds before their big day in August! It was a wonderful time.

And most recently were the days, and often nights, in Carpenteria when I would split my time between the city pool in Carp and the Goleta Health and Racquetball Club. Those were the Glory Days of my swimming experience. Both pools were surrounded by palm trees and there was almost always an ocean breeze to cool me off. But it isn't that easy for me. On some days it doesn't matter how beautiful the surroundings, I just simply do not want to swim!

And although I say it's my favorite form of exercise, I would regularly drag myself to the pool arguing, "All you have to do today is just stand in the water for 20 minutes if you don't want to swim." And many times I was determined that I would not swim. But in this exercise in discipline, to fulfill my commitment to "swim" every day, I was really playing a mind game.

It was a mind game because you can't just stand in water. Always within the first 5 minutes I would be turning out laps. You see, if you get in the water, something natural kicks in and you just have to swim. Which brings me to tonight.

I didn't want to blog this evening. Ever been there? But like my swimming exercise, my "getting in the water" tonight has once again lead to a healthy workout... this time it was a Blog workout!

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Old Journals

I don’t think there are many things more therapeutic than reading old journals. While hunting in our basement for some old photo albums last night I came across a box of my old journals. I ended up spending the better part of the evening and into the early morning hours reading of myself. Some of the writings were over 20 years old. I spurred me to kick off this new level of journaling and dive into the world of Blogs!

If you are a member of the 1980 graduating class of Amboy High School in Amboy, Illinois, let me encourage you to mark your calendar for our 25th Class Reunion. It is to be held Homecoming weekend, September 30 – November 2. I am sure going to try and be there and I hope that you will too.

Anywell… I guess I will end this first installment with a hope and a prayer that I will be able to keep this going. I think the idea is terrific!