long may it wave

a big thumbs up to every serviceman/woman who has served

so diligently and courageously. i have first hand knowledge of veterans who have

suffered the ultimate sacrifice...on our behalf.

suffering on a daily basis, for freedom.

and who knew too...

its the centennial of naval aviation.

(i liked this picture i found, so i thought i would mention it)

gotta love a pilot.

love a man in a uniform...

and happy memorial day.

one dollar

so i love craigslist.

 i stumbled upon this lovely chair.
down cushions and all.
not even a little stain or tear.

perfect for my sitting room upstairs.

so i go to newport coast.

drive into this beautiful, well kept neighborhood.

and find the correct address.

there is this kind asian man.
who answered the door with a smile.

who sweetly helped me load this lug of a chair.

into my landcruiser.
only after he measured precisely to see if it would fit.

even removed my back seats for me

and carefully seat belted them in the front.

so i gave him $70.

he was asking $69.

not sure why he chose that number.

and i said "take the 70"

and he firmly said, "no"

and i insisted that he take it,

i even said, "that is ridiculous".
"its only a dollar".

he calmly said, "no"

then he went into his kitchen.

and retrieved a dollar.

and handed it to me.

he said, "this is whats fair".

and i went back to my car.
and drove away.

and was amazed at the integrity of this man.

how even a dollar was important to him.

because he was keeping his end of the deal.

he was being fair, and honorable.
to him, that dollar was a thousand.

and i learned a lesson.

and got a pretty rad chair for 69 bucks.

may gray

i was talking to a friend yesterday...and we were wondering if this summer

will be as gloomy as last. 

if the last few weeks are any indication...we are in trouble.

i dont want to wear a sweatshirt to the beach.

not good.

last girl to prom

so eden is my last little girl to go to prom.

my last bootineer was made.

now i will have to start making corsages.

i hate making corsages.

and i think the party lasted till like 4am.

(yes, i was awake when she got home...)

needles to say, she is asleep on the couch, as i write.

and so is hunter.

this going to prom is hard work.

this guy

is the light of my life...

and he turned 10 yesterday.

i love you dane.

forever and ever.

no matter what.

edens arrangement

its only appropriate that eden would be arranging the first edens to bloom in the yard.

she has a system however, her brilliant mathematical brain taking over.

6 roses, 5 surrounding the middle one.

then she tapes them all together so they are held tight.

perfection.

beach day

so my longtime friend came to visit.

i have known her for 21 years.

wait, is that right?

sounds like an eternity.

or maybe i am just seriously old.

we had fun on the beach.

all of this pretty self explanatory...

then i played photographer and took a few shots of her and her boyfriend todd...

i hate that boyfriend word for some reason.

seems so high school.

there should be a mature word for boyfriend.

significant other?

friend?

soul mate?

what the heck do we call them?

i think if i were to ever introduce my potential "boyfriend" in the future...

i would just spell it out.

"this is my soul mate, the person i am in love with, my very very very special friend, 

the person who rocks my world, the man who does it for me, the man who i cant get enough of,

the man i fell in love with the moment i saw him."

yeah, that sounds better.

however, im a slow learner.

next time.

so here is leigh and her special friend, 

who would probably fit the above descriptions.

i like this phrase.

although maybe it sounds like they are mentally challenged?

oh, forget it.

i think this is very age appropriate for us old folks.

good day spent at my favorite place.

something about the fold

why is it when someone else does your laundry, it smells better...

the fold seems to be magic.

this magnificent masterpiece of color too, was lovingly arranged by my sister.

who loves me.

who supports me.

even when things are really really hard.

even when there is chaos everywhere.

and there seems to be no solution.

she is there for me.

her devotion is deep.

stems from a lifetime of companionship.

so i couldnt help but capture this beautiful arrangement

of the common towel.

stacked with precision

only my sister can do.

see, im the slob, shes the neat freak.

she puts up with my slobbishness.

and quietly picks up after me.

doesnt even mind when toby pees on her suitcase.

(and he is very capable of a pretty decent stream)

she just giggled, then asked where the simple green was.

then she silently folded my towels.

super smeller

how does he know there is a buttered english muffin sitting on the counter?

today

is my mothers birthday.

i am going to write about her on another post.

when i have the composure to think deeply about what im going to say.

that time is not now.

so im going to honor her in a very small way...

by posting a few comments from her youngest grandchild.

my son.

i am not sure how to take the showering coupon...

he must know i love a hot shower.

because i am pretty sure i bathe every day.

happy mothers day.

if

IF you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,

if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

thanks to my brother for sharing this...

so i share with you.