A Magnificent May

I'm not sure I could have crammed any more into the month of May if I had tried.  But, as stated above, it was magnificent!

Tommy's sister and her husband came for a visit from the Atlanta area.  They have lived  in the PNW for several years and we did not get to see them that often.  But, they are in the Atlanta area now along with Tommy's other sister, so we are enjoying seeing them more often.  Sara had her 50th class reunion while they were here and we all enjoyed discussing all the folks she reconnected with and hearing the latest.  We live in the town that Tommy and his sisters grew up in, so coming here is a bit like "coming home."

We invited a couple of their cousins over for a visit one afternoon.  A whole lot of chattering went on for sure.

We made a day trip to see  two of Tommy and Sara's Aunts, and a couple of their cousins also dropped by. It was good to see and visit with them.  Sometimes it takes effort to see extended family but it's generally always worth the effort. 
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And, last weekend found me in Chicago for my handsome nephew's wedding.  I flew to Des Moines and then rode with my brother, his wife and daughter on to Chicago.  There was a couple of times that I wished I had just flown directly to Chicago.  It's a long 5 1/2 hour car trip from DM to Chicago but we sure did get a whole lot of fun visiting time. 

 We stayed in the historic Carleton Hotel in Oak Park.  That in itself was quite a treat. I had never been to Chicago but I doubt that any body has seen any more than I did in the 48 hours that we were there.  On Friday morning my niece, SIL and myself headed out at 8:30. 

We caught the train and headed to the Magnificent Mile and on the way saw all kinds of sights.  I can now say that I have seen "the Bean."  We had such a fun time taking in the sights and sounds before it was time to head back to get ready for rehearsal and dinner. 

I was thrilled to share in this special time and to get to spend a itty bitty amount of time with my  nephew.  He and his new bride will be living there in Chicago.  Amanda is from Chicago so she is well versed in life there.  They are both into the theater and have both been in several plays there in Chicago and are currently rehearsing for one that they are in together.  So, who knows?  They do both have good day jobs but will pursue theater in their spare time. 

Warren and Amanda chose to be married at the noon hour.  Quite a different time for a wedding but that did not detract from the sweetness of the wedding one bit.  

They did something that I had never seen done at a wedding before, they washed each other's feet.  It was the "hi-lite" of the wedding for sure.  A beautiful song was sung by one of their friends during the process and I'm certain it will be an unforgettable memory for the two of them. 

Aren't they just the cutest and happiest couple!!  After the wedding they enjoyed engaging with all the guests and dancing the afternoon away.

And, then they were OFF to begin their lives together.  They flew out on Sunday to honeymoon in Sweden for a week.  May the Lord bless their union as the years unfold.
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And, what can I say about these two?  

They are both getting so big and doing "big kid" things.  Coleman figured out how to climb a tree and Andi Kate took off riding a big girl bike.  I think, for 3 and 4 years old, that's quite amazing for the both of them.  Their smiles say it all!

And, that's it for my Magnificent May!

Wednesday Medley - Roadtrips

It's summer and a lot of road trips will be taken by folks.  And, just in case you didn't know, Friday is National Road Trip Day.  

1.  Have you ever done a spur-of-the-moment road trip?  Where did it take you?

It was years and years ago but I decided to go with a couple of my friends to Dallas the afternoon before they left the next morning.  We had decided to go and I backed out because we were in the middle of remodeling our house and I didn't think I needed to be gone.  But, Hubby assured me that my going wouldn't change a thing.  So, I went.  I am NOT a spur-of-the-moment  of gal, much less for a road trip.  I enjoy planning and working the plan.

2.  If time and money wasn't an issue, what roads would you choose to travel and how long would you be gone?
Hubby and I pretty much have the time at this time in our lives but we do not take long road trips, we generally fly.  We do drive to our daughters home outside of Oklahoma City and that's 8 hours and  a  stretch for us.  We have talked of long road trips but that's about as far as it goes.  We fly and then rent a car. Guess you would call that an air trip.

3.  When you go on a long road trip, what snacks and beverages do you take?  Do you pack a picnic? Does the back seat turn into a nest? 
I will usually take a jar of peanuts and a bag of popcorn and some water.  We stop so often that if we want something else we can just grab it when we make a bathroom or gas stop. We do not pack a picnic, we usually look for a Cracker Barrel and enjoy picnicking there.~smile~

4.  Please tell us about something interesting or strange you have seen on the side of the road.
I'm sure I have seen all manner of strange or interesting things on the side of the road but I cannot recall one of them right now. So aggravating!

5.  Who does the driving when you head out in the car?  Do you stop in the rest areas along our Interstate highways when you have to use the facilities, or do you choose a fast-food restaurant or gas station instead?  Not TMI... inquiring minds want to know!
Hubby does 90% of the driving when we travel.  We do occasionally stop at rest areas but more times than not, we stop at convenience stores or fast food restaurants.  It's just our preference. 

6.  Please share something with us about your week so far.
I've been preparing to leave in the morning.  I will fly out very early for Des Moines and then 2-3 hours later I'll get in a car with my brother, his wife and daughter and we'll head to Chicago.  My nephew will be getting married there on Saturday at noon.  I've never been to Chicago and we're going to try and take in as much of it as possible on Friday.  I just pray that the weather will co-operate for us and the wedding.  I'll have lots of blog fodder when I get home Sunday evening.  See you then!

Saturday 9

Doris Day............what a lady!  She was a part of "the good ole days" and there's few stars of her caliber left.


NOTE: blogger is having issues with the font size this morning.  So, I'm sorry for the tiny font on some of the questions. ~drives me crazy~

Secret Love (1953)

Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.

Rest in peace, Doris Day (1922-2019)

1) In this song Doris admits she's spoken to the stars, "the way dreamers often do." Do you often daydream?



I do and don't even realize that I am daydreaming most of the time.  I think most of us do.  I mean, how can anyone not spend some time daydreaming?  I think it's very therapeutic.

2) What's the last secret you kept? (It doesn't have to be romantic.)

Our daughter called us around the middle of March to tell us that she was pregnant.  She said she would not be announcing it to the world until several weeks later.  So, I kept my lips sealed until she announced it.  Don't you just love the way she announced it with her two sons.  And, this one is a boy as well.

3) While "Secret Love" was one of Miss Day's best-selling records, and the song won an Oscar, she did not perform it at the Academy Awards Ceremony. She said she was just too nervous to sing it live before an international television audience and an auditorium full of entertainment professionals. When did you last suffer an attack of nerves?



Oh, my goodness, it was just last week.  Hubby, myself, his sister and her husband were coming home from seeing some relatives about 2 hours away.  Bad weather was predicted for the route we would be traveling but we were just sure we would miss it.  Well, on our way home the sky began to darken, it was looking very, very scary to the left of us.  My brother in law was watching the radar and Tommy was doing his best to get ahead of it.  Long story short, we did get into some awful driving rain and wind but did arrive safely home.  I was worn out from "a bad case of nerves" over the whole situation.

4) Doris' well-publicized attack of Oscar stage fright was unexpected because she began her career as a band singer, performing before live audiences every night. But she reportedly did develop more phobias over the years, including a fear of flying. Is there anything that scares you now, as an adult, that didn't frighten you as a child?




Well, I'm not sure it scares me but I am ever so mindful of falling.  I try to stay very aware of the ground under my feet.....is it level, is it smooth, etc.  I'm more mindful of the shoes I wear, and climbing on stools and ladders.  I have seen too many life altering situations due to a fall.  Of course, when I was a child, falling never entered my mind.  If I fell, and I did many times, I bounced right back up and went on about my business.  I'm afraid that might not be the case today. ~boo-hoo~  I figure if I can avoid a fall that I can continue leading an active life for many more years.

5) Doris Day made 39 movies between 1948 and 1968. She said one of her favorite things about filmmaking was working with costume designers on her wardrobe. Do you enjoy shopping for clothes?

Well, I cannot tell a lie!  Yes, I do ENJOY shopping for clothes.  And, I rarely pay full price for any of my clothes or shoes.  And, while a sale is awesome, I can often let the fact that it's on sale make me think I "need" it.  I can honestly say that I need nothing in the way of clothes or shoes but I still love shopping for them. ~big smile~

6) Doris confessed that when she had to lose weight for a role, she gave up ice cream. If we checked your freezer, would we find any ice cream?

Oh, my goodness, YES!!! Our freezer ALWAYS has Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla in it.  My husband thinks that ice cream is one of the 5 major food groups.  A bowl of ice cream is pretty much a part of his nightly routine.  I partake on occasion. 

7) In 1985 she hosted a cable show called Doris Day's Best Friends. She used the show as a platform to promote pet adoptions and animal welfare. Most of the guests were  celebrity friends who reportedly donated their salaries for appearing on the show to Doris' pet foundation. Did you more recently ask a friend for a favor, or perform a favor for a friend?


8) For more than 20 years, Doris co-owned the Cypress Inn in Carmel, CA. The Inn expects to continue on without her, and maintain the pet-friendly policies she introduced. Have you ever traveled with your dog or cat?

This is Rhett and Roscoe, our labs, about 8 years ago.  They are both old now and probably living in their last days.  The folks that bought our old house kept them because we did not have a yard big enough for them.  They love the dogs and Tommy goes every every few days and visits with them.  Anyway, they have NEVER traveled with us.  We are not folks that would ever want a dog traveling with us.

9) Random question: What's the last thing you complained about?

Oh, funny you would ask!  It was just yesterday.  I took Hanna Beth and one of her friends to see the movie, A Dog's Journey and then to lunch.  Our tickets for the movie were $12.45 which was just fine.  We did go to the morning showing so that is always less expensive.  Then, of course, they wanted what is called "the kids snack box" and it includes a small drink, popcorn and some candy.  I got a bottle of water and a small popcorn.  When the lady rang it up she said that it would be $33.53.  I almost fainted right on the spot.  I told her I knew that she only worked there and had nothing to do with the prices but that it was "highway robbery."  Do you know how much popcorn you can pop for $33, or how many drinks you can buy!  I truly do not know how a large portion of folks can afford prices such as that.  The gal checking me out agreed wholeheartedly and didn't act like I was the first person to complain. ~Lord have mercy~ It was a cool $45.98 for us to go to the movie. It was a good movie and we had a good time, I guess that's really all that matters. 

Nylon Stocking Day - Who Knew????

I'm likely one of the very few women who still own nylon hose/stockings (panty hose) and feel that there is STILL a place for them in a woman's life.  But, I had no idea whatsoever that there was a day dedicated to them.  As I've said before, I guess there must be a day for EVERYTHING!




 Do you (men don't have to answer) ever wear stockings today? Hum.....I assume you are talking about panty hose and if that's the case then, YES, I do.   Truth be told, I'm not really into bare legs at all when it comes to dressier dress.   But, there is a time when bare legs are the way to go but at my stage in life, the more of my legs that are covered the better it is. ~giggle~ Hose give a woman's leg a smooth look that we can get no other way. ~just sayin'~

2.  Terri can remember her mom wearing hose with the seam in the back.  Do you have any memories of those?  During the war, when stockings were scarce, women would draw a line on their legs to simulate wearing stockings!  How far would you go to superficially fake something today?

Oh, yes, my Mother wore seamed hose a lot and it seems that at one time I actually owned some and wore them.  I thought they had such a classy look . ~I know, weird~

About the only "fake" thing that I do is self tanning cream.  And, I really have NOT found one that I truly like but I like it better than my scary white legs.  I don't wear shorts very often and if I do they come to the top of my knee so its rare for much of my legs to show but the part that does will have the fake tan look. ~chuckle~

3.  Women actually rioted after WWII because Dupont couldn't keep up with the demand for nylon stockings!  Is there anything today you would riot for if the supply dried up (other than basic food and water needs)?

If you have been reading my blog very long then you already know that I have an addiction to plastic straws.  Now, I'm not sure I would riot for them but I might just pitch a fit if they should quit making them.  And, in preparation of that, I am currently stock piling them. ~no joke~

4.  Pantyhose were first called Panty Legs.  I'm sure we all have worn pantyhose at one time or another (again, men don't have to answer). Do you still have a pair or three in a drawer?  Do you wear them?

Indeed I do!  I probably have 4-5 pair and my two "go to" colors are Barely There and Barely Black.  Those pretty much cover any color I might be wearing. And, yes, as I mentioned above, I do still wear them occasionally.  

5.  This is also National Chocolate Chip Day.  Perhaps chocolate is something to riot for if we ran out?  Joe's favorite cookie is chocolate chip.  What is yours?

I was so surprised to read that today is also National Chocolate Chip day because I have been planning for a couple of days to bake some chocolate chip cookies TODAY.  Give me a chocolate chip cookie loaded with pecans and I'm a happy gal!  Today I'm going to use, at my husband's request, milk chocolate chips rather than the semi-chocolate chips that the recipe calls for.  In fact, I've never seen a recipe that calls for any other chocolate chip but I'm betting they are going to be VERY good.  I'll let you know!

6.  Please share something with us about your week.

It has been and will be a rather laid back week.  I do have a club meeting that I always look forward to and my monthly hair appointment.  And, our oldest Granddaughter is spending time with us while her Mom finishes out her school year.  Hanna Beth's last day was Monday but her Mom doesn't get out until later next week.

 I've been doing a big clean out of my closet and that has included dusting all the shelves and drawers.  I'm always amazed at how quickly dust accumulates, so, I'm so glad to have that behind me.  And, I got rid of a whole bunch of scarves and shoes.  I feel so liberated when I get rid of things/stuff that I no longer use or need.  We can become such slaves to our stuff and I'm trying real hard to not allow that to happen. ~it can be a struggle~

And, that's it for my week!