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Monday, March 4, 2024

keeping in touch

 My Mother taught us to always write a thank you note. Actually, my sister just sent me a beautiful thank you note last week...she had a BIG birthday.


Even the envelope is special 

In the past few years I have tried to send notes for almost  no reason.

By the way..... in 2022 a company was offering U.S. postage for about 1/2 price.  It was near Christmas, so even though it seemed risky, I ordered 300.   And they arrived!..and  in plenty of time !

Now there are many ads for about 1/2 price and yes, I have ordered more and more.   So this year at Christmas all the family got their own little supply of stamps in their stocking.


And I have tried to ramp it up a bit.... I like to have stamps, return labels and cards to sort of go together

Feels like it is a little reflection of how much you know/care  about the recipient and a little about my own character/personality 



Yes, I do have lots of cards with shoes....but if you find any shoe postage stamps, I would love to know 

On to 2024.   Hubby showed me an article in the local " Bellevue Style "  ( and no, I cannot say that I fit into Bellevue style, but that is where we have lived for many years )


I hope you will  read Cara's  story....she writes a note every day and decorates them by hand !!   Her focus is on being thankful. 

 Yes, we need to be more thankful.       Every day !


You can do it !


I live an exciting life 



Tuesday, February 20, 2024

not an ordinary day

We had been waiting for this appointment
  so we knew it would not be a regular ole day

Woke up extra early and had my outfit ready but, it just didn't look right.  I rarely change my mind in the morning
            But I wanted to be comfortable and cute

Done.
Had a quick bite  to eat and one more cup of coffee

We have lived together long enough to know that when hubby says to leave at 7:30, he might really mean 7:25.   As it turned out, I was ready at 7:20 and away we went.

All good

The roads were clear and we made good time and then the sign said keep left and we did and we must have been in the wrong lane to keep left      We crossed under Montlake, instead of onto Montlake
But, hubby knew what to do and we arrived at 
University of Washington Medical Center right on time

All good

The gentleman doing the testing was Dr. Barry Lia.
He knew his stuff






The first cage

  


Hubby in the cage



Hubby almost in the middle 

At this point Dr Lia explains what will take place in the next cage 



   Not a life size model, but very helpful 




Inside cage two.   Dr. Lia admitted that some patients will not even step inside.   Once the door closes, it is pitch black.   Then you are told what to do ...follow the lights, but do not move your head


The results appear and are printed out 

The next testing lasts for an hour.  





And during the hour of watching the middle green dot...


images came up here and there and are printed out

And during the pauses we had conversations about family, sports and Dr. Lia was very observant.

He noticed my tote bag  ( brought along reading material in case I was stuck in the lobby )

He seemed impressed with the felt  lining ( chartreuse, not my favorite color ) and did not notice the front of the bag...I'll just turn it over now


The results of this test showed many things...including that all the crystals are in place in Hubby's ears
This would have been an easy fix.  But it also showed a few other irregularities that the Vertigo specialist Dr. Rubenstein, will review and share the results with us next week..

And I will share with you

All good

 


I live an exciting life  


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Tuesday, January 16, 2024

A woman with dignity

 When you come home from a visit with a friend you have not seen since Covid and you have a conversation that is real, and honest, and hard,  you don't want to forget about it




So,  I write...

We met about 8 years ago, at a volunteer position in the library.   As we worked together, we had plenty of time to get acquainted, and we did.   While we chatted and laughed, I learned some of the hard part of her life.   Many years ago, she had married and had one daughter, and then...maybe 12, 13 years later, her husband decided he would rather live with another man.   So she and her daughter moved across the country and started a new life.  Soon she fell in love with another man and after several years of marriage and care, he died of cancer.  In the meantime, her daughter had married, had one son and now that marriage has ended.


Today, we are catching up.  She remembered that I had a red car and that I had prayed that my son would find a wife.  And he has. That wedding should be coming soon, but that is another story for later.

 Her daughter has found the love of her life and  has wedding plans for this spring. Also, her tall dark and handsome grandson is now in college and still loves his Grammy.   They have a home where all three generations can live happily ever after.

There is a hard part to her life now.  A while ago her daughter told her that her memory was not good and she did not seem herself. So she checked with her doctor and found out that she does have a form of dementia.  There is a diagnosis that is different than Alzheimer's. Part of the symptoms are hallucinations,   memory loss, tiredness and more.   That means she cannot drive or live alone.   

And my friend is cheerful and content.  She is not shy about speaking up about the truth, admitting the situation.  

She also told me about her growing up in North Carolina in a church where they loved the Lord and later she worked in the office.  So good and comforting to know that she knows, that Jesus knows, all about her,  and cares.  

We prayed at breakfast and I continue to pray for her.

She is an example to follow.  We are all growing older.  And changing, and admitting our changes (  memory loss, lower energy, weight change, etc. ) is healthy and feels comfortable/comforting. It is not easy, but we  must  still try to do our best and what is right.  


Never too old to learn



I live an exciting life

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Sunday, December 24, 2023

Cancer is a Family Affair

 


Sign up.....and I did 

We weathered the storm..

Greeted by our friend and very in charge Jenni


and then
by my side, Tanner, the best technician ever 


No more than a little prick 
Hardly needed a Band-Aid 





Three generations of love
The young looking grandma is my cousins daughter 
♥   My Cousins   ♥


And this little angel is Charlie
She loves pink 
so seemed right for her to keep my pink umbrella


Memo: we have the same blood type !
 only 7 % with O negative   ♥


I live an exciting life 




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More than a walk in the park



 A walk in the Bellevue Botanical Garden d'Lights 


Date night for Damon and Kelsey.

Along the garden path they sat down to enjoy the lights, then Damon got down on his knee and asked Kelsey to marry him 

And,  she said yes  ♥  

Then they drove to Mercer Island where Damon had made plans with some of the family, very secretly, to share the news with a party




The place 


Waiting inside...
Kelsey's Dad, Damon's Dad & Mom, 
    and secretly...
Kelsey's sister flew in from Colorado just for the day
Kelsey's brother and sister in law flew from Virginia 
Kelsey's best friend from Colorado flew in too

The Perry's close friends from Seattle 

Damon's two Bellevue  sisters , two Bellevue brother in laws, and two nephews

What a big surprise.  a few tears,,,, no a lot of tears and lots of good food 







I believe those smiles tell a sweet story 



And no one more happy than the dads, who paid the bill 


I live an exciting life.


Sunday, December 3, 2023

Am i seeing things

 Train station

Doors open to enter train 

to the left, the WC emptying onto the tracks and
just beyond, a young woman's suitcase cracks open and  the contents
empty...some onto the tracks


Chocolate factory

The friends sales clerk hands us two of the new chocolate flavor samples " do not eat them in the shop, just when you are outside"
I popped them into my purse and forgot about them until we got home and put my hand in to my purse to find  my phone

melted chocolate here, there and almost everywhere 


I live an exciting life  

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Happy Anniversary

 Celebrating 52 years

Dressed for the occasion:
Darrell in his summer beige  ( he did his best )
Me in my sandals  ( blisters on both feet from walking miles on Black Friday)


 Location:
A favorite place along Lake Washington 





The view - clear amazing sky


Atmosphere... from inside our little "booth"


The crab leg Sunset Special 


Yes, we shared it, messy fingers, so good 


Burnt Creme ..yes we shared that too 


Final view from  outside  our "booth"


He always brings me red roses 
They smell as good as they look 




I live an exciting life
 



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