First Wedding Anniversary

We made it!

ONE WHOLE YEAR.

Not that there was any doubt.

This past year has been amazing as husband and wife.

And on the tandem bike of life,

I'm lucky to be this guy's backseat driver.

In Pure Libra Fashion

The Libra astrological sign is a scale.

Meaning they are well-balanced creatures.

They can see both sides of the scale very well.

They tend to be unbiased.

They see the good (and bad) in all.

A nice quality, right?

Not all the time.

Seeing the good in both sides tends to make them very indecisive.

They love vanilla, but chocolate is good too.

They love comedies, but thrillers are exciting too.

They love sunny weather, but rain is so calming too.

Joe fits this description all too well.

Since Joe & I aren't big television people we've opted for the basic cable package for a mere $10/month.

This limits our t.v. experience.  We watch the shows most people skip over.

Last weekend was one such occasion.

Watching OWN's new show, Kidnapped by the Kids, the kid asks her mom,"What's your fave movie?"

Due to some severe thunderstorms outside and with nothing else to do, I decided to dive into the show.

Turning to Joe, I say, "What's YOUR fave movie?"

Joe, "Um, I can't pick one.  I like a lot."

Me, "OK. Well what's ONE of your favorites?"

Joe, "I can't just name one."

Me frustrated, "OOOOKKKK. Let's start with something easier."

"What's your favorite color?"

Joe, "I guess I like blue ..."

Then ever so quietly, dramatically, and in pure Libra fashion I hear, "...or green."

well-balanced on his skis, here's our Libra now

Easter Eve

Palm Sunday.

The beginning of Holy Week.

It's sort of like Easter Eve.

It gets the excitement of Easter festivities started.

With the sweet, humbling smells of fresh cut palm branches.

And a strong reminder of who/why/what we're here to do with this short life.

Joe & I were asked to present the gifts of communion to Father Bob during the service.

That was neat in itself.  It was the first time since our wedding that we walked down the aisle together.

On the way back down, I whispered to Joe that I had to run to the restroom.

Once back, Joe says to me, 'Did you pick up a palm?'

'I didn't know I was supposed to.'

Joe, 'Yeah, I wanted to make one of the branches into a cross for Father Bob.'

Isn't he just the sweetest?!

FULL

My father-in-law is full of many things.  

LIFE.

ENERGY.

HIMSELF.

He is quite the character.  Just like his neon yellow baggies (see below) he is loud and colorful.  You can always count on him to be the life of the party.  He loves to sit around a good meal with a glass of vino and tell a tale or two.  Non-fictional or not, he'll always tell you it's completely true.

Joe was web-cruising the other day and lightheartedly said, "Look here.  Look at these sheepskin seat covers for your car.  Vlado used to have these in his BMW.  Sweet, huh?!"

In complete agreement, I could totally picture him leaned back in his BMW red convertible with the top down and sheepskin fluff flapping in the breeze.  It was so Vlado.

Then I read the description and knew without a shadow of a doubt that sheepskin seats were created by God with only Vlado in mind:

And in summer, when the sun is scorching your BMW's interior, these genuine sheepskins keep your seat cool so you can sit in total comfort wearing nothing but a swimsuit. 

Do I Know You?

I was the first car waiting at a stop light on my usual morning journey.

I double take a silver Honda Accord with a middle-aged woman as the driver.  She had round glasses, curly black shoulder-length hair, and a certain posture I recognized.  Suddenly I place her, IT WAS JEANIE.

'HEY!'  I'm waving with a big smile.  'HEY JEANIE!'  My heart is leaping.  My jerky movements prove this.

Then I suddenly realize that Jeanie was the office secretary ... of my high school.  And since I went to high school in Pennsylvania and I now live in North Carolina, unless Jeanie realized what a paradise southeast NC is I'm pretty sure that's not her.  Then after a scowl, a nose-in-the-air gesture, and a not so southern-hospitality head turn I get from 'Jeanie' I know for sure that's not her.

Embarrassed, I remember again that this happens to me all the time.  You?

I've called three different places home.  Pennsylvania. North Carolina.  And England.  And all too often I completely misplace people I see.  When I think I know a familiar face I ask myself, 'PA? NC? Or UK?'  Sometimes it gets pretty tricky.  Most of the time I end up feeling like a loser.  A few times I've made some friends and shared a coffee.

It's crazy how different people all over the world can share similar appearances.  It's even crazier that it's so hard for me to keep up with it all. I try to figure it all out but it's still a big mess in my head.  I do believe what they say about you having a look-alike in this big world.  It's a big cycle.  "The circle of life", if you will.  "And it moves us all".

And for sanity's sake, if someone's in the Warfordsburg, PA area will you swing by Southern Fulton High School and ask the school secretary if she's got a twin sister that lives down south?