Christmas - Sometimes the Best Laid Plans Take a Twist

It was Christmas 1979.  My husband, Paul, and I were headed to his family's home in northern Alberta, Canada. Coming from the West coast of the U S, I had not prepared for the brutal winter weather of the North. I didn't own a heavy winter jacket or gloves.  In the Northwest, we don't have a need for four distinct seasons in our wardrobes.  

We decided to drive straight through the night and arrive two days before Christmas.  That was the plan.  It would be nice to spend Christmas with family -- my family was on the other side of the country and traveling there was not feasible.

Paul preferred to drive at night with fewer cars on the road.  I could curl up in the passenger seat and sleep.  His secret was to eat salted sunflower seeds to keep awake. Paul has been a maniac behind the wheel as long as I have known him - some 45 years. He is an excellent driver, but Speeding is his middle name.  Although we hoped the roads would be fine, we never expected to run into a blizzard or......car trouble.  But we did - both.  We were driving through the Rocky Mountains; it was bitter cold and snowing hard.

I woke up the sound of the tires on gravel as Paul pulled onto the shoulder of the highway. "I have no idea what is wrong but I have to go get help or we will freeze to death."  This was the days before cell phones and at 2 A.M. you couldn't stick your thumb out and hitchhike.  

Moptop Mania -- Were You There?

As a teenager in the early 1960s, I was not allowed to listen to the trending Rock and Roll songs on the radio.  The songs were deemed as evil music so I had to hide from my parents if I wanted to listen to them. 

I would lie low in my clothes closet with my transistor radio glued to my ear.  Beatle mania was alive and well on the radio.  I loved every song, but my favorites were "Hey Jude," "All You Need is Love," "She Loves You," "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," "Come Together," and "Yesterday."   Although I dreamed about it, I knew there was not a chance to ever see the Beatles live in concert.  

I continue to love their music and each song triggers a memory  -- most of them were memories of dating or breaking up with a boy. All these years later, the memories remain vivid.

Every Christmas, my daughter searches for concert tickets to give her dad and me as a gift. As lovers of classic Rock and Roll, we are thrilled.  In addition, she gifts us with dinner and a hotel room.  It is always an evening to remember.  

THE one concert that stands out above the rest was seeing the Beatles Tribute Band, Rain. I had no idea it would be as authentic as it turned out to be.  My hubby, who had been in a Rock and Roll band a hundred years ago, was astonished at how much they sounded like the original group.  In fact, in some ways they were better (please don't tell anyone I said that!) because the sound equipment was superior.  

When Your Energy is Spent - Can You Keep Going?

Ever reflect on recent activities and wonder how you managed to do everything you did?  That was my October this year.

Many of you will remember the recognition and award I was to receive in Washington D. C. as a Woman of Impact.  It will be an event I will remember the rest of my life.  I am honored to be on the cover and centerfold of the magazine Focus on Women, Sept/Oct 2015.  I will realize the benefits of this event and magazine for a long time into the future.  For this, I am grateful.

My hubby surprised me with this beautiful pendant he made for me for the event.  It is a 7.5ct Ceylon sapphire and diamond set in white gold.

How I physically made it through this month without falling apart is a miracle in itself.  On Oct 13, I left at 4:30 in the morning to catch the first ferry out of Dodge.  Starting out tired on this journey was not a "good" thing.  Once on the mainland, I had lots of errands to do before heading to the airport in Seattle around 9 P. M.  My plane didn't leave until 1 A.M. so I had time to kill and went to the movies. Opted for a scary thriller which made the walk back to my car around midnight a bit unnerving. Then back to the airport.  The plane was overbooked.  NO elbow, leg or moving room to get comfortable -- or SLEEP.

Dogs Drool, Cats Rule!

          

The prevalence of rancor that exists between dog owners and cat owners is rarely understood or explained. There often seems to be a decided lack of decency among them. Doesn’t it make you wonder what made this evolve into such distinct differences?

Although many dog owners 'have' cats (you can't "own" a cat), many people choose to be one or the other - a cat person or a dog person. I happen to love both cats and dogs but lean towards dogs.  Do you think most people have a preference?  Do you think different personality types prefer one over the other?  I'd be interested to hear your views.

There is much to be said about the differences between dogs and cats and what better way than to show it through pictures?

If cats had their way, they would like to to abolish all dogs. But, they really love the chase, the teasing and knowing that at the end of the day, CATS RULE!

Dog has no idea what's coming next

What Kind of Friend Are You?

It's 10:00 P.M. and the end of a stressful week.  I hadn't had a moment to myself all week between work and obligations, lending a hand to clients who needed me and a couple days out of town which included a lot of driving.  I was exhausted.

The phone rang.  I wonder who is calling this late. 

"Hello." 

I hear muffled words and short breathing sounds.  My first thought is "Oh no, what happened?"  

"Hello, can you hear me?"  A few sniffles and then "I honestly don't know how I can go on like this."  

"What do you mean?  Are you hurt?  Is your family okay?"

It was almost impossible to understand her words but eventually I pieced together that she discovered her husband was cheating on her and she was devastated.  

Without a moment's hesitation, I grabbed my keys and headed to her house.  She lived about 45 minutes away and it was raining heavily.  I hate driving at night, especially in the rain as it is extremely difficult for me to see, but if I take it slow, I will be fine...I reasoned. My friend needed my support.