Dean's musings

Andrea & Adam...the wedding

2009-03-29T20:27:00.003-04:00

Andrea married Adam yesterday (March 28th) at 2 PM. It was truly a lovely wedding. She was a beautiful bride as you can see from the pictures. I was so very privileged to spend the final 24 hours leading up to the wedding with her. And not having a daughter of my own, I took great pleasure in being "Momma 2" and feel her mother (my sister, Nancy) was seeing her through my eyes. I know Annie was glad to have me with her even though she ended up taking care of me!! Neither of us slept the night before, hahaha.

Adam is a wonderful young man and I couldn't be happier in her choice of a mate. He is as loving, caring, and fun as she is. I have a good feeling about their union and know they will make it as long as they keep God in the center as they do now.

And this is how life passes you by.....

2009-03-22T19:38:00.002-04:00

I'm finally sitting down to blog. I haven't written since November.....this is how time passes you by. BUT, in my defense, I will say my absence of writing has only been because I have been ridiculously busy with other pursuits. Since my last blog I (and Leah on the business stuff) have:

1. Created, developed, and manufactured a second therapy product for our 2 Gals Speech Products company. F.A.M.E. Articulation Workbook on CD. You can check it out on our website.

2. Leah and I have begun speaking professionally at state conferences. We have presented at WV, KY, and Ohio state Speech Conferences. We offer a 3 hour course on "Enhancing Your Therapy Through the use of Technology". It has been exceedingly well received. We plan to develop a second course called "The Practical Side of Therapy: insider tips from 60+ years in therapy"

3. Secured a contract with a national catalog company to distribute our products and have a second company express their desire to distribute for us as well :)

We continue to let God lead our every step in this company and still feel He will bless us when He wants us to receive His gifts. Yep, you're right I do live my life in simple blind faith in the One who has a plan for me :)

Sometimes, I feel like all I do is work and watch TV in the evenings and that's not good. I feel I have no social life, but that's just because of my present financial state. But I knew I would have to live like a pauper for 18 months when I decided on an early retirement. And too, I knew I'd be working for at least 3 years without compensation from the company, so this is not me whinning about my dire financial straights, this is just a verbal reminder to self of my conscious choice to live like this for peace of mind. Believe me when I say peace of mind is worth more to me that the paycheck :)

I promise to try to do better in posting.
For your enjoyment,
Dean

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"Speak it into being"

2008-11-16T12:45:00.003-05:00

I was thinking this morning that it's getting near time to send out my Holidays wishes to those I love and hold dear. So I thought I'd go ahead and compose my holiday letter, which in turn got me to thinking about my life this year. As I started to mentally review my (and Lee's) year I quickly realized that the tag line which I use on my email came true......"2008 my year of abundance and success"...and that prompted this post.

2008 has truly been a year of abundance and success for me (and Lee too).
Lee moved to DC
Lee got engaged
We developed/produced software
I retired
I went to Italy
I got a puppy
Leah and I are developing a speech workbook
So many wonderful things, which at the end of 2007, we had no idea would happen! But so many things that would not have happened if we had entertained negative thoughts.

"Speak it into being".......
I believe that we can "speak things into being".....ok, before you freak out on me, no, I don't mean like I can just say it and whammo it appears, hahaha. What do I mean is that I think we can "speak things into being" by our mental frame of mind or mental outlook. I believe in the power of positive thinking. I think our success or failure; our abundance or scarcity is directly affected by our way of thinking. Believing you will succeed or believing you will fail will have a direct impact on the outcome of whatever you attempt. Believing you will have abundance or believing you will have little is again impacted by your thought processes.

Each thought we have has the power to make good things or bad things happen. An example: We believed we could produce a game CD for speech therapy and we did! Had it not have been for positive thoughts (attitude) which brought about positive actions to do whatever it took to make it happen, it would not have come to fruition. Had we let negative thoughts enter into our minds we would have become defeated before we ever started and we'd be sitting here today with a dream instead of a product. It would have been easy to let negative thoughts like, "How could 2 speech therapists and 1 computer guy from eastern KY produce software?" "Who'd want to buy our software?", "What if nobody buys it?", enter our minds and so easy to speak that into being, instead of keeping our focus on the positive. But we kept our thoughts positive and spoke it into being. How often in life do we let good things go simply because we entertain negative defeatism thoughts? How often do we give up because of a negative thoughts before we even try? How often do we speak the negative thoughts into being?

Why not speak good things into being? Why not have positive thoughts? Because regardless of which way go with your thoughts...positive or negative....you will speak it into being. Your thoughts will drive your actions. And your actions will produce your abundance or scarcity...your success or failure.

So here's to making 2009 your year of abundance and success!

Streets in Florence

2008-11-02T08:24:00.006-05:00

This is a view of one of the many streets. To us Americans it looks like an alley and we have a tendency to avoid passage through them. I was a little hesitate the first day too, but as I learned a little more about European culture I started relaxing with traversing them. Now they do have some larger 2 and even 4 lane streets but this is more the norm.

As you'll see, the streets are lined with Vespas. They are the main mode of transportation within the city. I found it odd, to my American way of life, to see older business men and women get on their Vespas to head for home or elsewhere at the end of the day. It seemed every available space was used for parking them.

Bicycles are a close second in transportation. I found myself surprised to see elderly men and women riding them. I know it is because here in America, especially rural America, bikes are for used more for entertainment with children 5-13 years of age, or for traversing college students. Beyond those about the only segment of people left in the US that ride bikes for transportation are the young men who work in urban/metropolitan areas (such as my son in the DC area).

I have always noted that European cars are so much smaller than US cars but had never really given thought as to the reason behind it. The reason for the small cars is simply because the streets in Europe are so narrow. I suppose if you've every watched Chevy Chase in European Vacation you already knew that....haha.

People, Vespas, bicycles, all share the road. The sidewalks are narrow too and really only wide enough for one person, so when you encounter someone somebody has to give way :). Thus more often than not you decide to simply walk in the street only to be ran back to the sidewalk by the Vespas....haha.

Since I'm talking about the streets, I'll also mention that ALL the streets are a cobblestone of sorts and can make walking more difficult in a tiresome sort of way. You can never put your foot down to where it is totally level. It is either tilted to the right, left, forward, or backward....definitely not a pleasure if you have Fibromyalgia as it messes with your support and puts undue stress on your ankle, knee, and hip. After the first day I ended up hobbling all around Italy like an old woman.....LOL. But I do it again in a heartbeat!!

Meet my new love

2008-10-27T09:47:00.006-04:00

I'd like to introduce my new love and companion....Chrissy. She's an 11 week old Shih Tzu that has the funniest face and the sweetest disposition ever (just like me, haha). As most of you know I've been thinking about getting a dog for over a year. I took a full year to debate the pros and cons of dog ownership because I didn't want to get a dog and not keep it forever. I decide to wait until after I retired so that I would have the time to devote to training a dog. Then I decided to wait until after my trip because I felt it wouldn't be fair to get a puppy and then turn around and leave it. So now I'm retired and have completed my trip :) I didn't go out with the intent of getting a puppy Sat. but that is what transpired anyway....haha. Mary and I had walked out of Hobby Lobby and I looked up and saw Petland and said let's go look in Petland. They had dozens of really cute puppies of several varieties, but when Chrissy and I made eye contact, she stole my heart. There was just an instantaneous bond....then of course, when I held her, well, I just had to bring her home!

Ponte Vecchio

2008-10-25T09:03:00.003-04:00

This is the Ponte Vecchio which crosses the Arno River in Florence. There are several bridges that conveniently crosses the river, but this is the oldest. It was originally built in the 12th century but this particular incarnation dates back to 1345. The shops on the bridge have taken advantage of foot traffic for all these years. The shops on the bridge were originally occupied by blacksmiths, butchers and tanners. Today the shops offer all sorts of things such as leather, jewelry, etc.

This is the subject of many of the paintings you'll find for sale by the street artist because it's a good seller with tourist. :) No, I didn't purchase one. I bought works with different subject matter.

City of Florence, Italy

2008-10-25T08:58:00.003-04:00

This is the city of Florence, Italy as seen from the Piazzale Michelangelo. It was a hike to get up there but as I previously said well worth the huffin' and puffin' :) NOTE: it's not hard to get up there if you're young, haha.

Damp and Dreary

2008-10-24T16:05:00.002-04:00

Fall weather....damp and dreary....that's the reality.
Yes, there are some days that are so colorful they hurt your eyes,
and breezes so tempered in perfection you actually pay attention and duly note them,
but come on that's not everyday of fall :)

It is 4:10 PM and as I sit looking out my window I'm chilled by the dreariness!

I'm having company for the weekend and think I'll fix a big country breakfast for supper. Bacon, eggs, gravy, fried apples, and biscuits from scratch. I need comfort from the dreary chilliness. Doesn't a big country breakfast just evoke warm fuzzy memories of being loved and cuddled?

Stateside in KY

2008-10-20T18:41:00.002-04:00

.....20 hours of travel and I'm back home (broken down for your pleasure, that's 11 hours in the air; 5 hours in airports; 1 hour getting through customs/getting luggage/the car; and the 3 hour drive from Cincinnati) ....I give God praise and thanks for the safety of travel Pam and I enjoyed, for the beautiful weather we were blessed with, for the hedge of protection He placed around us as we walked about, for healing Pam enough so that she could make the trip home, for allowing me life and abundance of joy!

I crawled into bed at 9:30 last night and slept soundly until 7 am this morning. I spent the better part of this day importing the pictures from my camera to the computer, then organizing them and burning copies for Pam and I. Now I need to resize them and select a few to show Lee.

I can already see that my trip will continue to be fodder for many blog entries for quite a while. :)

Friday's Journey

2008-10-18T05:50:00.002-04:00

My entire day on Friday was spent touring the Tuscany countryside. IT WAS EVERYTHING I HAD HOPED OR EVER DREAMED IT WOULD BE.

I want to tell you every detail about it but don't have the time this morning. It is noon and I need to go do my last minute shopping and start packing for home. We leave our hotel at 5 in the morning.

So my next post will be stateside after a good night's sleep and an entire pot of MY home brewed coffee...lol...I've really missed my coffee!

Uffizi Museum

2008-10-18T05:32:00.002-04:00

Thursday found me enjoying the Uffizi Museum. Unfortunately Pam was not able to accompany me due to her illness. Bless her heart, she has been so ill and tries so hard to not be sick but her body overrides her mental will to be well. I am so very very sorry that she has been this ill and that it had to occur at this time to rob her of her time here.

I would recommend the Uffizi to anyone who is visiting here. The works of art housed there are the best of renassiance art. It is a huge place and it would take an entire day to see it all. I didn't have the stamina to spend hours upon hours there, so I ended up picking and choosing the works that I really really wanted to see, such as Leonardo Da vinci's, Botticello's, Raphael's, and Michelangelo's to name a few. I have to say that having to the opportunity to view those works with my own eyes was not lost upon me. I became overcome with emotion by the time I came into the room of Leonardo at seeing all that I was getting to see. Let me tell you there has been no photography or TV camera that captures the beauty and intensity of the originals. What a truly wonderful, blessed opportunity this has been for me. This has been a remarkable journey. It has not been a vacation.....it really has been a trip fo a lifetime!!

Relaxing Day in Florence

2008-10-15T12:12:00.002-04:00

Well today was a slower pace and a much needed one for me. I slept in and read a little. After Pam returned from visiting her son this morning we ventured out to grab a bite of lunch and meander around town. We walked over to the San Lorenza markets and browsed all the vendor stalls filled with leather goods, merano glass, and cashmere. One could spend a fortune if one had the money. I think Mandy would love shopping here.

After spending a couple of hours looking at merchandise we decided to enter the Basilica of San Lorenza. There was a delightful young American college student named Stephanie working there today giving free guided tours which was a treat for us. Being from the Atlanta she was thrilled to hear a good old southern accent for a change she said...haha. She is doing a study abroad program and is majoring in art history so this assignment was very interesting for her. She was very informative and it didn't take long to tell she was a huge fan of Donatello. The church was of course very beautiful as are all of them here, but the signifance of this particular one is that it is actually the first church ever built in Florence around the year 300. It has changed hands a few times and has been rebuilt to reflect favored the style of the day , but has not been changed since the 1700's. The pulpits and doors etc were all works of Donatello....one marble section was done by Michelangelo just to toss out a few impressive names. The Medici's were very involved with much of this church's construction and you will see their family crest everywhere. The wouldn't allow photography so I will have no photographs to show.

Lorenza is famous for being the first christian martyer. He was asked to bow down and worship a pagan God but refused and so they burned him on a grill. The story goes that as he was buring he told them "turn me over I'm done of this side"....don't quite know if I would believe that or not.

We're going to meet JT for supper tonight but he has a ton of work to do so we won't be spending much time with him after dinner. He leaves for an excursion with one of his classes early on Friday morning, so Pam will have to possibly say goodbye to him in the morning. I know she will dread this goodbye because she has so enjoyed seeing him (as I would!!) He has made our stay in Florence so very enjoyable. I can't thank him enough for taking the time to see that we had a good time.

Our days here in Italy are quickly flying by and we are at the point of having to decide what our "MUST Do" before we leave list will be. So tomorrow Thursday we will spend in the Uffizi Museum and about town, Friday is the day Tuscany country trip to Siena and Chanti, and Sat I think Pam is going to Venice if she can meet up with JT there. He will be there with his class. I have opted to skip Venice after the trouble we had with getting around in Rome. I don't want to leave Italy feeling frustrated :) So my last day will be to shop and see anything I feel I have missed.

Ciao

ROMA

2008-10-14T05:54:00.002-04:00

Pam and I took the Eurostar train and headed from Florence to Rome. Purchasing a ticket and getting a train is a very simple process. The only things you really need to know is that the national train (Eurostar) is faster than the regional trains which stop at every town along the way to the bigger cities, so choose Eurostar to get to where you're going fastest, and remember to validate your ticket prior to boardng the train. You can purchase a ticket from an agent or at a kiosk. We bought ours at a kiosk (yes that simple). Purchase you ticket for your return travel once you arrive at your destination. We had initially planned to return on the 8:30PM train, but decided to come back earlier and were able to exchange our tickets for a train leaving earlier :) I really enjoyed traveling by train. I wish we had more travel available by train in the US.

Rome is a beautiful city but an absolute bear to navigate on foot. I would tell anyone if you're going to be visiting plan to take a taxi from one area to the other. It will be completely worth the expense of cab fare (especially if you're sharing the cab).

The highlights:
Trevi Fountain is awesomely (is that a word) beautiful and much larger than I had anticipated. Although it took some complicated footwork on our part to find it (haha) it was definitely worth the effort! It was crowded but wouldn't you expect that? We went at night and I think that is the best time to see it. In case you're wondering, yes, we did throw a coin into the fountain over our left shoulder :)

We were walking up and down streets and poof there was the Panthenon standing majestically in one of the city squares surrounded by shops and restaurants. Being hot and tired we stopped at one of the restaurants for a glass of wine and to simply sit in the shaded outdoor area and enjoy the beauty of the scene and listen to the "street musicians". One of the musicans was playing an instrument similar to a mandolin.....he was very good. I went over to him and gave him money because I felt his concert was worthy of payment. Speaking with him I learned that he was from Russia and had the opportunity to play with the Russian symphony once. He was selling his own CDs and I regret that I didn't purchase one now. After we rested we entered into the Panthenon......all I could say was "wow"...."wow".... I find it hard to describe the beauty and majesty of these places. I think all I can say is that this is something you have to see with your own eyes to appreciate the phenominal intellectual thought process and workmanship involved in the construction. Magnificient!!

It is hard for me to recall all the beautiful structures I saw that first day so I'm sure I'll add more posts when I get home and start going through my pictures.

The Collosium was everything one imagines it to be and grander! It was a highlight for me...a sight that I felt so deeply blessed to have viewed with my own 2 eyes. Not having a lot of time we didn't go inside but just seeing the outside and standing in the shadow of it was enough to overwhelm me.

As we walked around the perimeter of the archeological digs I felt spiritually moved and silently offered prayers of thanks to God for His great sacrifice and love that continues through the centuries. I thanked God for giving Paul the strength of devotion to preach the gospel and for Paul's unwavering focus on the cross. It was a moving experience and makes the Bible come alive I think.

As I said previously there are many more places I want to tell you about but I'll have to be at another time.

Until then...Ciao!

ITALY

2008-10-11T05:03:00.002-04:00

Italy...Italy...Italy....I still can not believe I'm sitting here in Florence. It is everything I had hoped it would be and more. I found an internet cafe and hope to be able to blog about this trip like I did my DC trip.

I am here with my friend, Pam, who came to visit her son (JT) who is doing a semester of study in architecture here in Florence. I had no money to take this trip at this time but felt, as I always do, that life is to be lived today and not a someday. So I borrowed the money and here I am living a dream.....doing that thing I wanted to do before I die (I had a bucket list long before the movie, haha).

The trip over was safe and uncramped but L O N G. I didn't think I'd survive the 4 hour layover in Paris....I was so tired by that point. We left Cincicnnati at 7:30 pm on Wed. and were in Paris by 9:30 am Thurs. for whatever reason (excitement probably) neither Pam nor I could sleep on the plane. So both of us were like zombies roaming around the departure lounge in Paris. Our flight from Paris to Florence was scheduled for 1:30 pm and we arrived here at 3:30 pm. We had a simple baggage claim and all our bags arrived with us :) We had no problem getting a taxi to our hotel (Hotel Bellettini). Pam's son came by and took us out to dinner.

I have to comment before I forget jow amazed I was by the beauty of the ALPS. When I looked out the window of the plane and saw the mountain ranges I didn't have to ask which they were, I knew! Anyone would. They are magestic......it took my breath away. And yeah, I started singing "the hills are alive with the sound of music"...how could you not!!

Our hotel is in the heart of Florence so going anywhere in the city is a simple walk. Our first night here JT took us to a restaurant in the Piazza Republica. Seeing the beautiful buildings surrounding the piazza lit at night is spectacular, and the food was very good. I had spaghetti carbonara. The highlight of our walk back to the hotel was stopping to see the DUOMO. Pam teared up as she stood with her arm linked with her son's looking at the church for the first time. Seeing the Duomo was one of the major things she was looking forward to.

I think Pam and I were in bed by 9:30 on Thursday. :) We hit the road running on Friday morning, with JT as our personal tour guide. He knows his way about the city well and is extremely knowledgable about the art and architecture. We saw many of the sights I had on my list in the one day (which is why it was so exhausting for me, haha) I can't recall the order in which we did these things yesterday but will still tell you what we saw. We walked by the Uffiz museum, although we didn't go in, we will go back and take the time to go through it. We went to the Piazza della Signoria. It was our misfortune that the statue of David was being restored and had scaffolding around it so to see it was near impossible. However we did see all the other statues an sculptures such as Giambologna's Rape of the Sabines and Cellini's Perseus.

We strolled across the Ponte Vecchio (oldest bridge in Florence) which is filled with shops making our way up to the hill top to get the spectatular view of the city at the Piazzale Michelangelo. Climbing up the hill was very tiring but worth each painful step....haha.

We walked to the Basilica di San Lorenzo, Basillica di Saint Maria, and the Basilica di Santa Croce. It is hard to put into words how awed I felt to stand at the tombs of Michaelangelo and Galileo. The old churches are simply beautiful.

I think by reading this you can see why I opted not to accompany Pam and JT on thier early morning train ride to Genoa today. I am pooped and my trip has just begun...lol. We leave early in the morning for train ride to Rome and I want to be well rested for that!!

So now I'm off to see the city today at a much more leisurely pace!

Until the next installment, I'll say Ciao!

THEY'RE ENGAGED

2008-10-04T09:32:00.002-04:00

Lee proposed to Mandy at sunset yesterday evening.....and she said YES!

I'm very pleased with his choice for a wife. She is such a sweet and loving girl and they appear to be very compatible. It is a double blessing that he is marrying into such a wonderful family!!

So come June 6, 2009 I'll be handing over my pom-poms to Mandy!!

CONGRATS LEE & MANDY!!

Class Reunions

2008-09-07T09:03:00.004-04:00

40 YEARS !!!! Hard to believe we graduated high school 40 years ago. I can remember being at a homecoming game in high school and they had attending members of a class that had graduated 40 years prior and I can so vividly recall how I couldn't believe all those "old people" were there! HAHAHA, and now I'm one of those "old people".

It was great seeing everyone, but certainly not enough time to truly visit and catch up with everyone's lives.

Some Days....

2008-08-22T16:13:00.002-04:00

Some days I simply walk along side God,

Some days I run ahead of God,

Some days I hold God's hand as we walk,

Some days I dig my heels in and refuse to budge,

but some days like today, I put my arms around God's neck and squeeze with all my strength!!

There are those days that I know with certainty that I'd just not make it without Him!!

Daily Bread

2008-08-07T08:18:00.002-04:00

While talking with a much younger friend yesterday I commented that the older we get the deeper into our faith we get. She laughed and said, "I don't know I'm pretty deep into my faith now." I shared with her that I have FINALLY learned to quit digging my heels in and throwing tantrums when God's plan for my life doesn't go as I want it to go....(LOL, how foolish we are)!! I am finally accepting and seeing that HIS plan really is so much better than mine. I have learned that there is such PEACE in my life when I trust that God will provide for my needs for this day.

Case in point: As you know I retired without full retirement meaning I am not receiving a full retirement benefit (limited income), but also know that after 35 years it was time for me to retire from public schools. Since I retired my blood pressure has dropped 20 points and I have grown beautiful nails (not stressed to the point of gnawing my fingers off ..lol) I have lost 10 pounds and feel "happy". I have not stressed over money because I KNOW God will provide for my needs. I went to the bank yesterday to take care of some annual business and while I was there God blessed me with solutions to provide for my present needs. SEE!! I lived with FAITH that He would provide for me and HE did... in His timing. And I didn't spend my time worrying about what "I" would do. I didn't have to because God was in control.

Faiths effect on those around you: Lee has grown up with God being the center of our home and thus has a very solid foundation in God's teaching. He has chosen for himself a close walk with God and has experienced for himself God's blessings and direction. Yesterday he expressed to me that he had been feeling depressed over his financial situation (college loans can do that to you) but that once again God had came through when he needed it most. He received a call yesterday that bolstered his feelings and brought hope to a bleak looking situation (his opinion of his situation). Lee also commented that he had noticed that when he's at his lowest point God always comes through.

So I say to you, TRUST God and keep your FAITH!

Best Vacation EVER

2008-07-29T09:45:00.002-04:00

This has been the best vacation EVER!

Saturday was a day of 'firsts" for me:

first time to see a space shuttle;
first time to ride a Segway;
first time to ride the subway;
first time to see our nations capital;
and the first time to stand at the end of a runway as planes land, haha.

Let me tell you about my Segway experience first, it was sooooo much fun and I have to admit that I am no different from everyone else who steps up on one......I WANT ONE! You know me and you know there is not one athletic bone in my body and when I say it takes no skill to ride one, I mean it. If you can literally stand up, you can ride it, haha. I think the hardest part is letting go of our innate impulse to "balance ourselves" and let the machine do it's magical balancing act! It's a trust issue, haha, and controlling people, such as myself, don't want to relinquish control, but once I relaxed with it I learned it won't go anywhere you don't want to go nor will it run off with you. I would caution you that you do have to pay attention to where you're going or you'll clip something with your wheels and it'll throw you off. Of the 10 or so people who was in our group touring the city, 3 had accidents. Two of them serious enough to have to be taken to the hospital in ambulances, so just pay attention to what you're doing. Lee and I had no problems, although I'm sure he'd have preferred to have gone faster than I was going :) The next time I am in a city that offers Segway tours you can be sure I'll be on one...I absolutely LOVED IT! Thank you Lee for such an awesome birthday present!!!!!!!

Of course the Segway tour was of the White House and many of buildings all the way down to the Capital, but to be truthful Lee and I didn't pay much attention to the tour because we were having so much fun on the Segways....LOL!

Air and Space Museum: The Air and Space Museum was very cool. I'd seen older airplanes and jets before but I had never seen the space shuttle and I am still amazed at the size of it. It was so much bigger than I had imagined. I guess I was expecting it to be smaller because of the way it's attached to the rocket when it's launched that it appears small. It is huge. I took a picture of it, but in the open museum there is nothing to compare it's size to so it doesn't reflect its gigantic proportions.

Metro: I had heard the Metro in Washington was nicer than most and was pleased to see that it is very true. It is amazingly clean. No graffiti, no trash, etc. They have very strict laws about no food or drink in the subway. Having Lee as my guide I very quickly learned how to navigate my way about and know what to do to buy a ticket, add more money to it, where to insert it and retrieve it, where to go to get your train, etc. Very pleasant experience which left me feeling confident I could do it by myself :)

Gravely Point: A state park in Washington which happens to be located next to Ronald Reagan Airport. There is one area of the park which is located directly at the end of a runway and you can stand there as the planes take off and land. We were lucky in that when we were there they were landing. That is a totally wild experience...haha...to just stand there and watch a big jet coming flying directly towards you. There is an instant in which you think "that plane is going to hit me"....haha....I didn't want to watch at first but Lee chided me into it and am so glad he did because it truly is a one of a kind experience.

Our nations capitol: As we were driving up to Gravely Point, Lee pointed to the left and a break in the tree line where you get your first glimpse of the Washington Monument...I cannot express in words how emotionally moved I was (and still am) at the thought of seeing that majestic monument. I cried. I apologized to Lee for crying and felt stupid but I was so moved by the site. Why? I'm still not completely sure I understand all the reasons but will simply say that to me that monument epitomizes our country, our nation, who we are.......that and the fact that I have been trying to get here for 40 years. It was a site that I thought my eyes would never behold.

Let me explain why it has taken 40 years to get here. When I was a senior in high school our "senior trip" was to go Washington, DC but unfortunately we didn't make it because that was 1968 the time when Martin Luther King was assassinated. So my first trip to our nations capital was canceled. Years later Leah & I were up here for training at George Mason University and got on the metro, but shortly after taking our seats learned that someone had "fallen" onto the tracks and was killed so the lines would be shut down for an indefinite period of time. Not knowing how long that could be and with it being evening already we opted to get off and just forget going into the city. So my 2nd attempted at seeing our nations capitol was thwarted. So its been 40 years since 1968 and finally I got to see our nations capitol.....I'm sure that added to the emotional impact of it Thank you Lee for giving me this experience.

All of this was done in one day and it has been awesome!!!!!

Lovin' my time with Lee

2008-07-26T11:07:00.002-04:00

I'm having a great time with Lee and actually love the area in which he lives.

We went to see the Batman movie (The Dark Knight) at the IMAX and it was super.
Yesterday he took me to Ikea and as he predicted it took 4 hours just to go through the store, haha. I can see why people like to shop there. After that we went to an outlet mall where I bought 2 new pairs of Privo's (yeah, those shoes I so brag about). The day was topped off with dinner at the Cheesecake Factory...YUMMY_YUMMY_YUMMY!

Today we're heading to the Air and Space Museum; Gravely Point; and then downtown DC...I can't wait to ride the Segway!!

I have arrived...

2008-07-24T12:27:00.002-04:00

I arrived at Washington Dulles airport around 7:30 last night. Lee picked me up and we went to eat at Macaroni Grill...I got to eat one of my favorite dishes, lobster ravioli....I have to admit that it really wasn't as good as Rocco's :)

Lee had belated Mother's Day and birthday gifts waiting for me when I got here. For Mother's day he had bought me a dozen cupcakes from a specialty bakery here in town....YUM....chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon struessel, and blueberry! For my birthday he surprised me with tickets for a 2 hour tour of DC on a SEGWAY!! How awesome is that? We go Sat. evening at 6:30 and I can't wait...lol, bet I embarrass myself terribly with my clumbsiness and awkwardness in trying to navigate the thing...I don't care it'll be fun.

Lee has a really nice apartment and although it is a studio is it surprisingly spacious.

More of my adventures later!

Flying to Washington DC

2008-07-22T19:39:00.003-04:00

I'm headed to Washington tomorrow to spend a week with Lee..YEEHAW!

I left the itinerary to him so I know it'll be an exciting fun filled week. I do know that I'll get to go downtown to do the touristy stuff on a couple of occasions, as well as experience some of the small towns around DC.

I AM EXCITED!!

Clay Balls

2008-07-08T12:47:00.002-04:00

Todays inspiration:

There was a man was exploring caves by the Seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him.

As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could. He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock...Inside was a beautiful, precious stone. Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.

Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure in to the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it. We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time Tto get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have
thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have with you. Thank you for looking beyond my clay vessel.

Work or rest ? I don't know which is worse.....

2008-07-05T20:44:00.002-04:00

When I'm busy with things to do I wish I had time to just flop and do nothing...to veg out...BUT, when I have those days I'm not satisfied. I had a very busy weekend last weekend with a wedding up in Teays Valley on Saturday (which was beautiful by the way); church and a 4 hours shopping trip with Mom on Sunday; rising early on Monday morn to take my BFF to her doctor's appointment in Lex; power washing and staining decks on Tuesday; power washing sidewalks and mowing 2 lawns on Wednesday; and thrown in the middle of all that was a copier blowup and subsequent phone calls and emails with HP for a replacement; and shipping the broken one back. So you'd think I'd appreciate a few days to lounge around wouldn't you? Well I did appreciate a quiet day on the 4th. All I did was fix Mom and I a burger. I've watched 2 movies; read a good murder mystery; leisurely read a magazine with my morning coffee; and have paced the floors feeling lost.

Is this a trait of retired people? Or is this because I've had so few days off in the past year that I can't just relax? It's been gloomy and rainy today maybe that's it.....

I hate these "antsy" moods.

FINISHED

2008-06-09T19:25:00.002-04:00

finish-v. 1. to bring or come to an end, to complete. 2. to reach the end of a task or race, etc.

Today I finished my career as a Speech Therapist in public schools. A career that began in August of 1972 and lasted 35 years (with the exception of 4 years in the clinic) running through different schools, different county systems and a couple different states.

They say I won't really feel retired until school starts back in August and I'm sure they are right.

I wasn't sad as I drove away today, but I do admit to feeling scared.......for the last 52 years my life has been not just tied to a work schedule but to a school schedule. How do I schedule my life without school? There is a sense of feeling lost.

Disgusted

2008-06-04T16:48:00.003-04:00

I was driving home (in town) and a large semi-trailer truck pulled out in front me so I had to come to a complete stop to allow him the road, which is nothing unusual and not a point of contention with me any more. However, the message professionally painted on the end of his trailer just totally disgusted me. It read something to the effect:

"Girls gone wild traveling auditions truck, see driver".....

How completely and totally horrible. What a lecherous old man! Eeeeewwwww that's just NASTY.

That message seemed to really drive home the point to me that our society is completely without morals and values. I'm sure the driver thought he was being funny, but to me that 's just a public display of a depraved mind!

How would you have reacted if you had seen it?

Summer Breeze

2008-05-26T21:52:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was the perfect "top down" day. The weather was great.....a ball cap, sunglasses and a drive just long enough (an hour and half)......no time schedule....the destination wonderful. Yep, a trip down to my BFF's house in my convertible.

I LOVE having company at my home, but sometimes it is good to get out of town, to have somewhere I can go for overnight.

Today felt like summer. It was sheer delight to have my morning coffee on the deck with my BFF. Ahhhh, perfect peace. Makes you not want to move but the thought of craft shopping is always a motivator for me, so I happily finished my 2nd cup and hopped in the shower.

AND, it certainly didn't hurt to arrive back to her house and find her hubby chillin' and grillin' for a few of us :P Don't tell him but he really is a good cook.

Looking back on it tonight I realize it was just the "attitude adjustment" I needed.

Done did deal.........

2008-05-19T17:18:00.004-04:00

Well, it's done.

I turned in my resignation letter today. I mailed in my retirement papers. I didn't expect it to be so scary. I am HAPPY to be retiring, don't get me wrong, but to actually, WILLINGLY, give up your job!! To know you won't be working and getting a paycheck? It is scary....very scary.

I am not retiring with full benefits so I suppose not everyone has my reaction. I knew going into this that my "pension" won't be enough to support me. So why am I retiring you ask? Because, although I only have 23.5 years in KY retirement, I have been doing speech therapy for 35 years and it's time to stop. I don't care what you do, 35 years of it is enough!!

Now I begin my next career......marketing my own speech software!!

Been here and there

2008-04-20T14:48:00.002-04:00

Have ya missed me? Good. I'm glad someone misses me. :)

I went to the Women of Joy conference in Gatlinburg TN last weekend (4/11-4/13), worked Monday and Tuesday, then took off for the WV Speech and Hearing Association conference in Flatwoods, WV (4/16-4/19). Busy, busy, busy, but it was good.

If you've never been to a women's retreat such as Women of Joy or Women of Faith, I strongly urge you to go sometime. It is WONDERFUL....there is nothing like 6000+ women all singing praises and worshiping God together. We heard some good speakers, great singers, and a hilarious comedian, shopped 'til we dropped, and developed a deeper bond with each other (among the women of our church). We came home penniless, but rich in HIS spirit!!

The WVSHA conference was good, too. I could never say enough about how well they treat their vendors. Although we didn't sell any software, we did get to demonstrate our product to over 200 SLPs and they were very enthusiastic about it and promised to purchase it for next year. I keep telling myself all in God's time :) On the up side we did make many contacts for later sales and for doing workshop presentations.
The biggest plus was getting to sit down with my business partner and actually discuss our business plan and make business decisions with no time constraints on our conversation.

I have to mention my dining experience while in up in WV. We went to Cafe Cimino's in Sutton, WV for dinner that last night we were there. Let me tell you, that it is worth the trip up there just to experience the meal. Who would have thought you could have a "fine dining" meal out in the middle of nowhere in WV? (Sutton is probably even smaller than Louisa.) Cafe Cimino's is a bed and breakfast, on the Elk River, which also serves dinner from 5-9 each evening. It is a beautifully restored 1898 house with four bedrooms upstairs (the entire downstairs is the kitchen and dining rooms), two suites out back in a separate building, a carriage house, and a wine and spirits bar down on the creek bank. A lovely peaceful place to spend an evening or a weekend for a couple. I wouldn't call it "family friendly", but a place any couple could go and relax. The atmosphere set the stage for a relaxing meal. The "dining" rooms afforded room for only 3-4 tables so there was that initial sense of coziness to set the stage for a delightful dining experience. The menu was Italian and delicious. Ok, so Leah and I didn't eat everything on the menu, but we did order enough different items that I can attest for 2 meals anyway...haha. For starters I had bruchetta with fresh tomatoes and basil...YUM...and Leah had a salad with goat cheese dressing. I chose the dressing because I thought the salad was mine..LOL...but it wasn't, so she was stuck with it. I doubt that would have been her choice but she ate it anyway and enjoyed it. We never did find out what kind of cheese was in it but whatever it was was really tasty! For our entrees I had a red sauce tomato pasta (linguini) and she had grilled shrimp over linguini. Again I say YUM! Splurging we had desert...one creme brulee for me and chocolate mousse w/ lady fingers for her. Needless to say, we didn't have to snack later that evening.

After dinner our waiter took us on a tour of the house and grounds, which is where I gleaned all this information about the place. No, they are not paying me a commission to advertise for them, but I have to say you really should try it and that I will go back there again, if nothing more than for a day trip to eat there....LOL.

As I finish writing this, I feel so blessed to blog this as a reminder that my life is so full of wonderful experiences.....Thank you GOD, because I'd not journal with pen and paper!

New Shoes

2008-04-10T21:30:00.002-04:00

How cool are these? Ok, so you'll have to copy and paste the link to see my new shoes!

http://www.onlineshoes.com/productpage.asp?gen=w&pcid=98892

I love them and have checked out several other pairs that I'll probably buy as I can afford them. Finally a pair if shoes that are cool and comfy! Last year Lee teased me about buying old granny shoes and he was right (shhhhh, don't tell him I said that). Little did I know that there were shoes that could be comfortable and stylish. This company is awesome.....one of these days I'm going to work my way up to buy a pair of Keen shoes, ever heard of them? Expensive in my budget of shoe buying but they sure look totally awesome and people say they're wonderful to wear too!

What is it about a new pair of shoes that makes us excited? Even as small toddlers we get excited about new shoes. Other articles of clothing don't cause us as much showy pride as a new pair of shoes. I've noted that fact with my kids at school through out my years. Some may occasionally mention they have a new shirt or pants, but they ALL mention their new shoes!! The first thing they'll say to me when I go to their room to get them for therapy is "LOOK AT MY NEW SHOES!!

I don't normally get excited about new shoes, but these puppies are something to talk about!!

What About Me? Part III

2008-04-09T09:29:00.003-04:00

I could write that I am a widow, daughter, in-law, sister, aunt, BFF to many, an SLP, business woman, etc. etc. but geez, this is starting to sound like an obituary! "I ain't dead yet!"

However, this morning I'm reminded of my age. This is spring break week, so of course I've been trying to get the yard and flower beds in shape before the rain starts today. A worthy use of time, but OH MY how out of shape I am!! I'm not even a fourth of the way done, but I'll not despair because according to the planting instructions for bulbs, if you plant your flowers in 2 week increments they'll bloom longer. So at this rate I should have flowers well into winter! :)

Spring brings a reminder of new birth and new beginnings. I love spring and the whole idea of starting over again! A "do-over" in life!

I pray today is a new beginning for all of us!

What about me? Part II

2008-04-07T12:26:00.002-04:00

Secondly, I am a MOTHER.

Being a mother is the greatest blessing I have had here on earth. I LOVE being a mother and have enjoyed all the phases of the childhood/motherhood experience. I am probably one of the few who actually enjoyed their pregnancy. This was because I never had morning sickness just afternoon queasiness. To my memory, I felt the best I have ever felt in my life when I was pregnant.

Now I do have to admit there were two phases that were very, very, very trying...the "Terrible Twos" ( which by the way doesn't end on their 3rd birthday) , and that "preteen mouth". Looking back those were the only truly difficult times. For me at least those two phases are the same in that you can't talk or reason with either one and your best recourse is to simply not give them an audience! I must admit it does make a mother understand why some species eat their young....LOL.

Now having Lee for a son does affect my perspective on motherhood. He was a very happy baby...always waking up in the mornings and from naps with a smile on his face. I can vividly recall, when he was 3 and 4 years old, him coming into our bedroom of the mornings and pulling my eyelids up and saying, "Wake up Mommy. It's a pretty day!" even if it was storming out, LOL Oh, if we could only view each day like that now!!

He was also a happy child and people frequently remarked about what a happy child he was and most frequently was their observation that, "He just lights up when he sees you coming." When I see Lee in my minds eye now that's how I see him...with that big grin on his face. You know the one I'm talking about. :) You can't help but smile back!

We have a very loving relationship which has evolved from mother-child, to mother-son, to mother-best friend. I have to admit the process was hard but definitely worth it. The hardest part of this growth and change in our relationship was giving him wings at 18, after giving him roots and total care and devotion. But, as God always does, He helped me recognize how blessed I had been to have had Lee at my feet for 18 years to teach and love, and that I wasn't losing him, I was just entering a new phase with him. And let me tell you, I totally love this current relationship with my son, my BFF.

Now if I can just marry him off...I'm ready for "grand babies" and to become "Nana".

What about me? Part I

2008-04-05T10:45:00.003-04:00

I was looking at the profile section and thinking about filling it out, when it occured to me that what I write is serious business if I am truthful. And with truth being paramount in my life, I feel I can do it no other way.

So if I am truthful then my first statement should be....I am a Christian. That statement should say it all, but so many say they are Christian when they really are "Church Attendees" or "Church Workers" that I feel I need to elaborate on what I mean when I make such a claim. I love the way one writer put it (as you've seen in numerous emails):

When I say I am a Christian I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm saying I'm forgiven.

I am NOT perfect even in my own imagination, but I am so thankfully forgiven for my past, for my mistakes today and tomorrow, if I only admit them and ask for forgiveness. He completely forgives me!

I have a very deep and personal relationship with God. Christ is my best friend, really! He and I are like this **fingers entwined** :) and that is such an awesome feeling. He and I talk daily about everything. He knows and accepts me like no human friend I've ever had. He's there through my ups and downs, my grief and my celebrations. He always has time for me! He encourages me to keep going when I think I can't.

God lives within me and I'm sure there are days He'd like to move out.......just as I'm sure there are many times He shakes His head and says, "Dean, Dean, Dean, what are you thinking?!" But still He stays with me because that is what He promises, To never leave us or forsake us.

Ok, you didn't read this to hear a sermon but GOD is in me and the core of who I am! In the past 13 years God has allowed me to go through so many difficult trials, but it has been those trials which have lead me to the relationship I now have with HIM....and you know what?....I praise Him for those trials, which have made me such good friends with Him.

God is so good to me.

Old Dog New Tricks?

2008-04-04T21:55:00.001-04:00

Everyone seems to be doing the public posting of thoughts, so why not me?

I guess if I get this set up and going it'll prove the old adage of "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" wrong. I might be old but I can still learn something new every now and then.

Now the hilarious part of this is that I've already forgotten what info I've used to set this up! LOL