Summer Vacation

Last weekend I had a life long friend Molly getting married at her parent's home out in the wine country of Idaho. (Where we grew up together as "neighbors" attending the same church as children we were like sisters as I had befriended her older sister Tiffany when I was 11 years old.) Life in that world was both good and bad, we talked about when we first met up again on a long walk by the Boise river 10 years ago. She just had coffee with another good friend of ours from the past and that's when she learned of me being in Boise and able to meet up any time. 
So our friendship burst forth from that moment in time to this day, I would make her coffee in the mall as she was on break from her store, I would hug her in passing quickly saying "I love ya Girl!" as back those days were busy, on the go , always scheduled out and rather busy fun. 
She setup a double date for us, where my husband and I got to meet her boyfriend, now husband KJ, His stories and his humor had us laughing fully into the night of endless sushi. I was truly happy to have friendship in both of them over these many years now! All our BBQ's, coffee times, breakfast, gardening and sitting around a fire pit these friends of ours have made our life perfectly loved. I am so grateful for them!

So on August 20th on a magical summer night they got married!   
My heart burst forth such joy and love!
The music and the food, the friends and the family all came together so nicely and I loved being there among everyone again!
I simply love everyone just as they are, I am free from any religion, any social awkwardness in knowing we are all alive and well to celebrate and dance! This moment will not last, so to do the best you can is a great way to embrace these memories! My dear friend Tally who I love so much danced with me laughing and shaking her head at my goofiness, 
For our summer has been full of activities, of adventures together! I remember when Molly told me her niece was born back on one of our weekly walks together, Now this girl is 10 years old right before me! She has such happiness and honesty in her life force, I truly love her!
In fact I am grateful to be friends with the whole family in many different ways, The whole event was perfectly done and at the end of such a wonderful night my husband and I enjoyed the long soak at the hotel room in Caldwell. It was easier then driving back home so late at night, it was nice to know our dogs were safely cared for in the same town and the next day was a family BBQ at Tony's Dad's home where we got our dogs back. My mind was a mix of memories from the past seeing so many old friends at Molly and KJ's wedding, and of the future while we went wine tasting in the quickly growing wine country of Idaho. I took a long country drive, stopping a fruit stand in the morning saying "We have time to get some peaches, for we are on VACATION! We can really enjoy ourselves!" my husband Tony frowned "Stop saying we are on a vacation! in CALDWELL....is this what my life has become???" I laughed and reminded him that if we are not sleeping at home it's a "vacation" and it's far more relaxing then our anniversary last month even! Tony asked "How can you have so much energy all the time? Why do you like to see these people from your past when they weren't very nice to you? AND you have nothing in common anymore with them?" I shook my head at his silliness, explaining "I love all of them, no matter if they like me back or not. The fact they are alive and well is worth celebrating! Molly and KJ are my dearest friends so in visiting with  everyone else is a bonus! I was there for them fully and completely, The kids and I are all friends too so seeing the whole night burst with magical and love made me so happy! I loved dancing with Tiffany, it was like we were 14 years old again! I loved Molly's dress and how in love she looked! I loved every moment, now I love being out here in the country side driving around with you! It's like we are really on vacation! Now I want to go see Teresa and hear how the dogs slept last night, life is very short, We are on "vacation" this weekend for the wedding, for the break from regular life.....every moment is fleeting and magical that is why I have so much energy! Being happy for others is the best feeling in the whole world too....I am glad it all worked out for us to stay in Caldwell this weekend!" He chuckled and shook his head, for as usual that he would rather go somewhere else for a summer vacation. But I loved seeing the whole valley before us as we drove on out to the wineries, after a good night's sleep, a long soak in the salt water Jacuzzi hotel room to the evening BBQ with family, I loved this "vacation weekend" so much!
It was all so perfect, so beautiful and so heart warming for me!

U2 - Magnificent

          Today my beloved friends Molly and KJ are getting married, How magical is my life with such good friends like them in it? 
Ooooh how I remember our very first get together, over sushi and the night time stars...I think it was about a decade ago!

   My husband was so worried in that "blind double date." for him that they would be just as preachy and super "churchy" as most any of my old time friends from back in the day,  
instead he was happily surpised that they were very real and honest.
He said that my friend Molly was full of grace and of wisdom, and KJ reminded him of me as well....from that lovely night out to this evening when they share their vows I know they have been such good friends to us!


Last November in our new home I had Molly and KJ over for dinner as a blessing to our new place and what a delight it was to catch up on all their wedding plans I was bursting with pride and joy, they are such wonderful people to know and I love them so!

May they live happily ever after and always keep it REAL! 
...........and I hope they have a magnificent marriage!

Bye, Bye Mr. Mclaughlin

                   34 years ago John McLaughlin started up his 30 minuet political debate show that aired weekly with many great minds coming together to challenge, question and predict the next moves of our nation's activities, with his eye on the President as they came and went John would start by saying in a commanding clear cut way "Earlier this week..." and I would listen, I would wonder if I already knew what he was going to say next but usually I would eat it all up the voices of his little group of 5, with his position in front of the TV screen always directing with true honest respect, cutting in to let each person have a say or if they weren't fast enough to be placed last as he never wasted his time on the show getting right to the point of his topics.

I would always feel very well informed after each episode, having not wasted my weekend in reading online all the thousands of articles to each subject that John McLaughlin was able to sum up in his famous debate show.....I truly LOVED my routine every Sunday morning cooking up the works for breakfast as my husband had the show ready to play when I was done!

John's "Year end reviews." a 2 part show for the holiday/new year season was my MOST favorite time to watch and my husband would laugh at me as I did a happy dance and squealed "YES! His Christmas Jacket! He sure is the COOLEST guy ever!"

As I look back over my life today in all the many ways he was apart of it, I smile because TV brought him fight into my life and I would debate in my own political discussions saying "Well on "The McLaughlin group." they said....." and so on it went, I liked knowing  my information came from such a great source!

I liked having a wonderful routine shared with my husband that we got very good at knowing what each person will say, oh how we laughed so much while watching over the last 13 years in our marriage, even sometimes we had to pause the show in order to debate it out between ourselves getting heated up or challenging each other.

I have been noticing John's pale color, momentary slowness on the show and I knew he would never have a retirement stage in his life, this was his show that he loved to share and to inform all of us viewers on all that is happening in the world. He really did put on a great show! 

He was such a smart caring person to bring that part of himself right into our homes every week.......(And I loved when he made fun of "twitter" when it first burst on the public scene because I felt the very same way)

So now I think it's time to fine myself a Christmas Jacket too, and start my own "Year end reviews." 

BYE, BYE,      

Oscar and Me

This has been a busy fun summer, Oscar and I took the first of June out in style with a long walk on the greenbelt, he's clearly older then back in the days we came here every morning after dropping Tony off at work at 9am. Those were magical mornings, Oscar and me!  

 I loved those magical summer mornings drinking my coffee cup with Oscar's leashed tied to my belt loop as we walked for miles in the nature and in the parks of a growing city. the faint sound of traffic, the sun rising over us as we walk and stop, walk and stop...Oscar's happiness was so easily seen and enjoyed as I chatted away with him.

Now this summer is flying by, he's not wanting to be out in the afternoon heat for long since we now live in a lovely home with AC.

I still take him on a walk here and there, but the other dogs get upset and worried that we left them behind even though they don't want to walk along side with us so I am learning how to spend time with each dog in it's favorite way.

Oscar loves his purple frizbee for it's been to the Oregon Coast with him every time over his 10 years.

He is a pro in traveling, loving the nice pet friendly hotel rooms and napping in his safe crate with treats and endless water. The stories of Oscar and me never get old and I have laughed till tears roll down my cheeks!

This is a dog who has changed my life in every single way! 

Oscar loves running off the leash for his flying high frizbee, on the Oregon Coast this is a BEAUTIFUL sight against the morning sun light and the salt water waves. He sleeps well through the night when we are on vacation every time!

When Oscar was 6 months old we remodel our condo, so for a whole week we lived in a hotel room right off the Boise greenbelt and he loved it! I walked all over the place with him and always kept him in my car with me where ever I went then we would pass out for a nap on our hotel bed in the crazy busy life we shared!

 On his 5th birthday I noticed how grumpy he was towards puppies at the dog park, it was interesting to me to see how well trained and very devoted to me he had grown. I reminded him that he once was a puppy too!

Funny how we all forget as we grow older that we were once full of energy and noise!

Watching Oscar at the dog park, I also noticed he would try to correct any bad behavior by calling to me to come stop whatever the other dogs were doing!

I laughed so much just watching him run to me in fear of a dog fight starting, he has always liked standing between my legs in any uncertain new situation.

I am in awe of this clever cute cuddle bug dog of mine!

Spending time with just him and me is less and less since our pack, our family has grown into 4 cats and 3 dogs, he is always aware of caring over his own, like barking in alarm if one of the dogs escapes the fenced in yard. He runs to where ever he heard a cat fight in high speed, he growls low as the neighborhood kids ride their bikes up through our driveway. He has to jump up in greeting our company or sitting right beside me as we visit. 
My life with him right by my side is just as perfect and wonderful as it could ever be!

Oscar and Me sit in bed while I read and he snuggles into my hip, he lays his head on my leg and sighs deeply finally calming down for the night. When I am gone, when I am pet-sitting somewhere else he sleeps up stairs by the front door instead keeping a watchful eye out for my return.

Most mornings I come home to drink coffee and cuddle with all of my pets, doing my house chores and cooking, setting up my husband for an easy time to be home without me. It's fun to sneak up on Oscar in the mornings as he makes his rounds through the backyard and gardens, he is lost in his own little world so when he sees me smiling there, as I bend down to hold him I can't help but giggle at his adorable fuzzy feet that dance in joy to suddenly see me there! He burst forth with recognizing me and wet nosing my face while I hold him and kiss him! It's like I have been gone for a year the way he acts so happy to see me and have me with him! 
THESE are the days of such great joy and great friendship! I love him so much that after a few nights away I start to really miss him too! I am reminded that right now is the day to enjoy in one of long style walks and talks, Oscar and me is how I will always remember these magical mornings of coming home with my arms wide open to his doggie dance!

The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979

My husband says that posting music videos doesn't count for being a blogger, I have discovered that I  love music so much! I love the emotional journey the music recreates in me, that songs often say what I want to say, maybe even better because the tune is so powerful and some of these music vids are very well done and should be shared and should be liked! 
Also I was born in 1979, so this made me laugh so much in that as I was a baby nursing safely in my mother's young strong arms these kind of summer adventures were still unfolding, time is endless, even though we are not..........

I am always going to share music that's reflective how I feel or tells a story better then I could......

Here's to the last month of summer, May you sing and dance bravely forward into the fall season!

Get out there and have an adventure like this song shares! 

Believing in all things

There are 2 kinds of people in this world; The ones who believe everything happens for a reason and those who think NO ONE is coming to save us.

In the movie "Signs." by M. Knight Shyamalan,  the realization that there's life out in space is intriguing as the movie starts out drawing you in to this world of all the unknown things that could be out there!

  I saw this movie 4 times in the theater, first time I was on my own and then I couldn't stop talking about it so I invited friends to go see it with me again and again!

There are 2 kind of people in this world I would say with such excitement because it made sense to me, and I knew that I am the kind of person who believes everything happens for a reason and is connected to something bigger then just us in this little world. 

Maybe it is because I was raised as a christian that I grew up in the wonder of God, I felt connected to this magical movie so much. AND I knew how the Mel Gibson character felt, in self-doubt, angry at God for letting bad and sad things happen.

I refer to this movie all the time when talking about the 2 kinds of people in the world, those who believe no one is coming to save us, and those who believe that they are not alone, that everything is connected for a reason. I have been on both sides of this fact, I have been jaded and pissed off, I have been hopeful and happy......I guess we never know what will happen next in this life time of ours so we can find ourselves wishing there is a God and wishing there isn't.

I am in awe of this movie, every single time I watch it, I am in awe! I choose that sense of wonder! I choose to see connections in every little thing around me from the worm in the dirt I disturb, to the bird who sings in the tree above me....I believe in ALL things! I hope for love everlasting, for a God of pure grace and for magic of each birth under the stars and sun! We are the same energy that moves the ocean water and we are the same life force that grows in a garden!  I can see the endless possibilities for a better future, I can embrace the wonder of nature and hear the call of the wild as I live wisely knowing I am never alone when I take a walk on my own.

LIFE is the spirit and the soul is seeking to understand more and more of everything that's out there in the Universe! I think it's the hope that this movie capture the best, the difference in giving up on life and fully living it! We need faith, hope and grace in order to handle ourselves among all the unanswered questions about God, life and death.  I will always choose to believe.....to stay open and aware of all these wonders, all these mysteries and most importantly I will listen to what is out there beyond the stars if I can!

I held the crystal in my hand and said "It's so cold, smooth and beautiful! I wonder what kind of stories it holds if we could see back through time all the other hands that touched this." My friend smiled at me wisely saying "You are a natural with the stones and crystals, are you sure that you haven't ever been in a shop like this before?" I shrugged back explaining "I haven't, I didn't grow up with any books on crystals but I feel like each one has it's own blessings and curses, it's good or bad memories.....and I notice with even rocks by the river they all have different temperatures and colors for a reason." She laughed and smiled proudly "I bet you have ancestors who were energy workers, who knew some magic even!"  I walked around the shop a bit more being 29 years old I was trying to figure out what I believe in again, I had left religion so quickly that I never thought of what I truly and honestly believed in, so as the beautiful stones, rocks and crystals decorated my shopping afternoon I was lost in thoughts of how I can embrace my own spirituality then the possibilities are endless to imagine and endless to learn new things every day!
I want to believe everything is connected, it gives me comfort and it gives me a sense of adventure for my future!      

There are 2 kinds of people in this world. 
So which type are you?

Carrying Your Love With Me - George Strait

WOW! Hey Thanks Dad for sharing the info on this song! because I had the tune in my head, bugging me ever since I posted the last blog,  but couldn't remember who sang it! I haven't had time to google it but it's been bugging me that I couldn't recall this singer!   
Its such a great song! I love it!