Saturday, December 26, 2009

Christmas 2009


Mom's tree: ornaments no lights!

My tree: lights no ornaments! It is what it is!

Karen showing off one of Mom's many mini sweater ornaments for the Haywoods

Mom with her own home made scarf! She loves it!

The day has come and gone and all but the memories remain.
My sister Holly is 60. Mom, Kate and I got her good with our gift. That makes me happy.
Tim surprised me with 3 lovely gifts of gems. Two Aquamarine: a ring and necklace and an Emerald necklace too! He is a Gem of a man.
I love my little family sweaters Mom made for the whole family. Kate gave me the gift of Lowes....love the hardware! Holly does not understand that one! Holly sent yummy Washington State fruit, fresh from the tree! Pat gave me his wonderful candy and the gift of a day of yard work in the spring, a true gift from the heart, the gift of time.
Above are a few shots from the day.

Friday, December 25, 2009

My sister is 60!

And here are 60 of the reasons we love her!

Sixty reasons why we love Holly
With more love than we can fathom, From Mom, Kitti and Heidi
From Mom:
1. She says funny “Hollyisms”.
2. She is my “water baby”.
3. She lets you know what she really thinks and feels, but kindly.
4. She deliberately lives minimally and joyfully, yet keeps cherishes a few treasured things.
5. She knuckled down and finished her bachelor’s degree-because she should.
6. She makes any space she lives in into a welcoming home. Can make do with lack of conveniences cheerfully.
7. She knows when she’s had “enough”.
8. Honest to the core.
9. Even saves spiders.
10. Has the skill of saying things the right way.
11. Can leave &/or divorce a man sand stay a good friend.
12. Rows her own boat.
13. Very committed to any task she accepts.
14. Honors individuals from parents to children.
15. Wishes the best for everyone and is not envious or jealous.
16. Encourages others to push beyond their comfort zones.
17. Hard worker-determined to accomplish goals she sets.
18. Finds the good and is tolerant of others.
19. Loves others Children as her own.r
20. Put up with me (Mom).
From Kate:
21. She is my twin.
22. She is in every memory I have.
23. She is smarter about people than any psychiatrist.
24. She is honest; even when it hurts.
25. She loves the Lake as much as I do.
26. She respects all life; even bugs.
27. She makes me belly laugh until I snort.
28. She makes three sisters; a perfect triangle.
29. She can make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
30. She can live on love alone.
31. Only she can give us “Hollyisms” such as:
a. Cease and detest.
b. By the skin of her neck.
c. Listening to my college professors made my speech more affluent.
32. She can allow herself to love lovable dogs.
33. She sees the best in people.
34. She is a shinning beacon for Living Simply.
35. She sees more beauty in the stars and the sparkle on the water than in diamonds; and she sees flaws in diamonds.
36. She is the most giving mother and grandmother in the world.
37. She is the best advisor I’ve ever had.
38. She loves rocks as much as I do and she knows a good one when she sees it.
39. She is my partner in crime.
40. She never stole a boyfriend. But she could have.
From Heidi:
41. She thrives at being a minimalist and thinks everyone else should be too.
42. She is generous to a fault.
43. She can ALWAYS find a good thing to say about a person, no matter what the situation.
44. She may seem like she has a tough external shell, but she is very sentimental and tender.
45. She always had fun in her MGB. She would drive Tracy and me to school and drive in circles at the intersection and make us laugh till we cried! She saved Dad’s hat to drive in that car with the top down!
46. She will get something done 80% and then hand it over to me to PLEASE finish; she just could never do it. And when you finish, she would make you feel like a million dollars for the simplest thing.
47. She is a loyal friend to few, and those she calls friend are blessed.
48. She is the best youngest sister in the world.
49. She loves it when I cook her a meal. Any meal will do. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. She will love every bite and then loves doing all the dishes.
50. She loves to wash things. In the dishwasher she makes glass shiny clean. And then she places them just so to admire them. She loves anything to do with water. Washing clothes, watering the yard, swimming, showers (outside are best).
51. She loves her family, and will do anything within her power for them.
52. If she does set her mind to do something, she will finish it 100%, and then some.
53. She wears just the basic colors. NO patterns, stripes, prints. She loves her nightgown and slippers.
54. She is all or nothing. And not much in between.
55. She can massacre the English language like no tomorrow. (See Hollyisms above). But you always know what she is trying to say. (“Time to step up to the bat”, “All of the sudden”)
56. She loves her son; he is her love, dove, world. And now she loves his world with his wife and son.
57. She keeps her word. If she tells you she is going to do something, she does.
58. She loves ALL animals. She taught me how to safely take a spider outside without killing it. They live outside; she says they just get lost in our house.
59. She loves dark chocolate.
60. We love Holly because she is our daughter and our sister, we are lucky to call her friend.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Snow Snow Snow















I think we will have a white Christmas.
We have over 22 inches!
And no plow down the road!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

10 days till Christmas and I did what?


This ia a stained glass window Mom made for me over 10 years ago, she is now inspired to make herself a tiffany lamp!

So, tonight Mom and I ventured to the land of Kensington's mini warehouse district and Mom signed up for a Tiffany lamp class. It is from 7-9 pm and she does not like to drive at night, in fact the last time she did she was in tears. SO. I drove her tonight. I will be the facilitator for her lamp project. I am a bit excited, just not so sure how much help I'll be, other than encouragement and the ability to help her with glass selecton and to cut the easy little square bits along the top and bottom. We chose a poinsettia pattern with a grid at the top and bottom. We will make the flowers pink and whitish, with blue and green back rounds (to keep me happy!)

My tree is not up, my cards are out. My presents are mostly wrapped thanks to the lovely weekend Mom and I had at the beach. We shopped till we dropped, watched "you've got mail". I cannot imagine Mom had never seen that cute movie with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Very cute Little romance movie. Almost as cute as how I met my Tim. Maybe one day I'll write the screen play and we'll all live happily ever after on the royalties......not, but it is always fun to dream! Drew Carry could play Tim and me..........Queen Latifa! ha ha ha.

Anyway all is well here in the un-chirstmas tree house. We'll get er up soon! I am sure. I am done with call for the week, I've done my promised class with Mom, now all I have to do is work about 30 more hours, mail a bizillion packages, decorate a tree, wrap more packages, bake 2 yummo pumpkin treats for Christmas dinner at Mary's, help Mom with her Christmas eve dinner.........have I forgotten anything? I am sure I have.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Sunday already!

We have had a busy and long week here.

Yesterday most of the day it snowed. Tim and I stayed home, he has a cold/allergy and did not have it in him to drive to Delaware. Not a problem with me! I thought we'd stay home and I'd get the tree up. It is 1230 on Sunday and no tree up. But sitting here typing I have encouragement from my lack of doing.

I made my infamous waffles this morning for breakfast. Jesus wound up staying here last night as the roads were not in any shape to start a 2300 mile road trip to Phoenix and on to Los Moches, Mexico. So both Tim and Jesus were like little kids when I asked if they wanted waffles. Of course I obliged! I watched my Sunday morning show and now see all the snow melting....I'll open the curtains and get the tree up and start decorating.

We have our first ever artificial tress with lights pre strung. I convinced Tim it would be easier for him and cut down on the crisp tree and needles issue we have in January. I'll let you know what I think of the whole thing soon.

Otherwise all is the same here on Conover Drive. No cat, no dog, one wonderful husband, one very cluttered office, one clean house, one clothes closet that is in desperate need of cleaning, One cherry desk I need to sell on Craig's list.

But the Christmas cards are mailed. Yea! And I've made a list of what I still need to buy. Now to that tree and to start wrapping some of the gifts I need to mail.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Jesus is leaving Maryland

My sister, Holly, arrived 10 years ago with a new husband! A surpries to all of us, as they had eloped! That was not the deal we had had when she said she would move out here from California and we would live together. I bought the house I am in with Holly in mind so she would be happy living here. Well, she kept up her end of the deal, she did move out here, but with a 36 year old Mexican husband in tow, who was quite nice, but spoke very little English. They moved in to the basement bedroom and I began to adjust to my sister at 49 and her husband 36, going on 16. He grew on me. They were here 5 years, I met a man who would become my husband. They moved out and I have adjusted to my own wonderful husband of 5 years. Holly and Jesus divorced after 10 years of marriage. Their marriage had it's ups and downs, as I think a lot of marriages do that don't work daily on making the relationship work. My manicurist at my bridal weekend in Rehoboth gave me sage piece of advice on marriage: don't let both of you fall out of love at the same time. When she told me this I thought it was odd advice to give to a bride. Little did I know what sage and experienced advice it was! I think that is what happened with Holly and Jesus.

I drove Holly out west last October. She made a new life in Chelan in a canyon out of town with Gloria and David as neighbors. She is helping to raise her grandson Will.

Jesus stayed in Maryland long after they separated and divorced. Now his family in Mexico needs him. His father is 94 and still farming. His mother misses him daily. His parents have raised 9 children and Jesus is the furthest from home. Two still live on the family farm land.

Jesus leaves for Mexico on Saturday. May he travel safely to his destinations and his brothers help keep him safe in Mexico. I will miss him. He is a good man. I hope he finds love and happiness in his home land.

Farewell Pinnynola

About Me

very happily married in the suburbs of Maryland