I got to stay home from work today–low volume on call.  Cooked up a storm, and had lots of family and friends for supper and fireworks.  Have a different camera this year, and only managed one decent picture of fireworks.  Hope your day was great and safe!!

Independence.  Freedom.  Accountability.  All wonderful things our Constitution aids us with, and hopefully we have enough gumption to speak up when “government” would amend or take these away.  I hope your holiday is a time of reflection as well as fun.  Think what it is worth!!!  If you are in the neighborhood, supper is at 6:00 with fireworks when it is dark.  Stop by!!

Forty years ago this afternoon, Dean and I got married in Massachusetts. My brother Ray told Dean “6 months at the most”.  I remember…

–the trip to Niagara Falls and moving to Nebraska pulling that trailor his brother Bob built.  All our worldly goods!!

–living in farm houses and trailers til we build our own place

–3 wonderful kids, still yet today

–different jobs–Northern Natural Gas Co., Syracuse Hospital, Otoe County Dept of Roads, Bryan LGH Medical Center

–all those different cars for the kids!!!  (and the insurance! lol )

–working opposite shifts so we didn’t have to worry about too much day care

–confirmations, graduations, colleges

–the best man ever–honest, filled with integrity, tolerant.

Time goes so fast, doesn’t it??  Hope for many more through the years to come!

Happy Flag Day! Long may she wave as the symbol of the mightyness of America, under God.
Stepped out on the deck after the rain ended, and all the flowers were so happy about a “real drink”!


Roses, impatiens, marigolds, geraniums…
and this one lone Oklahoma blossom, just here for a few hours, but definitely cute!!

What a lovely day!!  Warm and sunny.  Most years when we go to the cemeteries, we have to wear a sweater, or a raincoat.  Dean is the Commander of the local American Legion Post and as such, led the honors.

They have a ceremony which included Logan’s Orders, Gettysburg Address, a patriotic speaker, prayer and blessing, and taps.  This service to honor the dead is done at the Douglas, Palmyra and Unadilla Cemeteries, and our family has attended all but one year out of the last 40!  There is little change, more gray hair, and a few less participants as some of the veterans pass on.

Most impressive is the Avenue of Flags–each one donated for use by the family of a veteran.  It is the same in many cemeteries now, but the sight and memory stir your heart.

Long may our country remember the price of freedom, and never cease to remember and honor those who fight to preserve it!

Do you remember–

side ponytails and mesh gloves?

leg warmers?

anklets and heels?  The sad part was we couldn’t find any white ones with lace in adult sizes like “the good old days!”  lol

and last of all, eye shadow up to your eyebrows!!  rotflmao!!

Yesterday Kate had her annual themed birthday party, and this year it was the 80’s!
This is the family shot. Dean was out in Maywood attending 3 kinfolk graduations, so he missed the big event this year.
I found it interesting that without prior discussion, tights and jean skirts were the choice of most of the gals!
The “Irish Twins”. Kate and Jon are only a year apart in age and have alwys been called the twins. If you sit quietly, drink in hand, and listen while they reminisce, you learn a lot more now of what went on in their lives “back then”! Then again, maybe not. Some of it was scary!!! Especially when they all decide that todays kids wouldn’t survive!! LOL!!!!
For memory purposes, do you remember–
friendship pins?

Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill?

Acid Washed Jeans?
As usual, we had a great time, but I got to tell you, it was HARD to get up for church this morning, and if we weren’t on Alter Guild duty, it might have passed by!!!

A gray gloomy day outside, but a happy one with family. Went to church, went to the Parthenon for dinner, (read that no cooking!!!), and now on to graduation parties. 3 neighbors this weekend, and three kin next weekend!
Thought I toasted the washer yesterday trying to wash bathroom rugs. It stopped working, and the hot smell!! Oh, bad. But this morning it worked for a regular load, so I guess rugs are out anymore for that old hard working thing!
Talked to my niece Chris who lives near Pensacola. Nice and warm, and 20 minutes away from the beach? Guess I’d better find a way to go south next trip! Now that my sister lives there also, could kill two birds with the same stone!!
K8’s birthday this next weekend–looking forward to that as it is an annual fun time! Just have to think about some food, and we’re ready. Went shopping yesterday, and still looking for 80’s stuff. Might have to go in the universal jeans. LOL. Looking forward to all of you who are coming also!!

Dean raked the front flower beds (hostas, really) and filled 4 trash bags full of leaves and branches!! What about the other 3 sides???
K8 brought extra flowers, so the spares found their way into the deck flower box, and I’m beginning to think that spring might be here. Really waiting for the day you can wear short sleeves!!
Tomorrow we will go to the big city and buy a refrigerator–our door doesn’t open or shut easily, and after 29 years, this fridge will hide down in the basement with the extra pop and beer. lol!!!
Let’s see, while we’re there we could get some deck siding, an oven, a new vacuum, a riding lawn mower. Oh right, money. Well, later on then.
Himself starts 10 hour days on Tuesday–0600 until 1630. The Commissioners decided that it might save money if once the graders are moving, they keep moving longer in one day, so 10 hours a day, 4 days a week. We’ll see how THAT goes!
I started scrapping a few pages of the trip to the ocean, but when you are faced with better that 200 pictures of just that, it’s hard to make choices. No one wants to see them all, and I don’t want to print them either. Why do we do that with digital cameras?? Well, if you are so disposed, I’ll send you the CD!!
One more weekend, and then it’s K8’s BD party. What do OLD people wear to an 80’s party? Send some ideas, and not Madonna’s material girl dress!! LOL!

Regardless of the weather, and the temperature of the ocean water, landlocked Nebraskans can always find a beach and stick their toes into 40 degree water! lol!!!
Some people wouldn’t take their shoes off, and you can find a sweet picture of my Merrills on vacation as the water poured over them. What a blast of a day!!
As soon as you would write a word, the waves would wash it away, and it looked like no one had stood there for a hundred years!