Toddo is 40, Lordy Lordy!

My first recolection of Todd is my brother being so proud to have a second son and saying: "Now David has what I always wanted! A brother!". That being said I am sure there were times Mike wished the order was a bit different when Todd and David were young. Though now they are much better friends, geography and life keeps them apart. Just like my sisters Kate and Holly who were arch enimies in their teens, now my sisters call themselves twins and I am lucky to be included as a sister. Todd, the second born of my brothers children. Born in Maryland, like me. The only other Marylander. Though you'd never know it, he is rooted quite deeply in Washington State. I doubt he will venture far from the Hogmans. His whole life it was David and Todd. Rarely Todd and David. And when the next sibling came along it was the blessed sister! Todd is definately the second child, overachiever. First to graduate from college, first to get a master's degree. Only one to have 7 children! He has spent his life being compaired to someone else, his brother, his wifes family, how they did things. And yet he is his own self. A good father to 6 sons and one daughter....so far! He loves the outdoors, unlike his father who only tolerated it. He is extremely busy, he will take the time for you if you reach out to him, though he rarely has time for himself or to reach out to you. The love of his life is his wife who is amazing after 7 children still looks like a teenager herself, yet she too is pushing 40!

So my Toddo, the second son of my brother.....who head butted his way into your heart. Here are a few copies of slides I've found and scanned and send to you. Know you are loved and have a family out east who still thinks of you, especailly one Aunt Heidi.

A funny thing happened

In high school it was a thrill to talk on the phone for hours to a girlfriend or developing relationship. Then college came and nights in dorm rooms spent studying, and talking replaced the phone. Letters from home and an occasional well timed call from home were the treat. Some where along the line in came the computer and your all important E-MAIL ADDRESS enters the picture. At the same time a cell phone which let me call anyone anytime (if I had the minutes) and a phone call, once again, became routine. Then it was a treat to get an e-mail from my friends and family. I'd open my e-mail with great anticipation of a quick note from someone keeping up or saying hello. Then came texting and no need to talk or be in person or even send more than a one liner. Then the photo on the phone, why text when you can send a picture, it is worth 1000 words isn't it?

So, now I sit in isolation from everyone and everything. No one calls, no one sends letters, rarely I get a text, and never do I have a personal e-mail. Except for my dear sweet Mom, she does all of the above. I sure do love her. Thanks Mom for calling, mailing, e-mailing and even reading my blog. I sure do love you.

It's always good at Sunshine!

At the corner of New Hampshire and Georgia Avenue is a small no nothing little store: Sunshine General Store. Unless you knew to come in and try their menu you'd not even stop. But this is a place my husband brought me when we were "courting" and he won me over. Inside it's not much either. Crooked isles, poorly stocked shelves, not full fridges. In the back of this little no nothing store is a counter that often you have to wait for a one of the four seats, where these 4 gentleman would not even think of giving up their seat for me, where you will get the best breakfast sandwich, french toast or pancakes this side of heaven. The burgers will be another story!
When we walked in this morning the place was packed, not a seat to be had, but by the time I snapped a few photos outside (see above) the "rush" had thinned out and we had a seat at the table.

Tim got the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich.....yummo. Fresh hand patted sausage, and farm fresh eggs.

My bacon, egg and cheese was the bomb, and Tim managed to share 2 triangles of his yummy french toast with a "side" of bacon! All in all amazing! We love to take a drive up to this little store, it is about 15 miles north through beautiful rolling hills.

Since we were in the neck of the woods where his Mom grew up Tim also drove me to the little creek where she wants her ashes scattered. I feel better about that now too. Beautiful up county area where Kathie rode her horse and played with cousins. A peaceful, calm, beautiful place to be.

One the way home Tim drove me past his new office building in downtown Gaithersburg. I like being able to visualize where he will be working. Nice old town Gaithersburg, right across from a post office! I'd be in heaven.

Now on to football......for Tim. Me, I think I'll putter!

A snapshot of my afternoon

How can it be the end of October already?

Where did the summer go?

As I gaze out my window today I see a beautiful sugar maple that is yellow and bold and SNOW!

It has actually been snowing off and on today!

I am not quite ready for snow.

I'll snap a photo with my phone, e-mail it to me and see if I can put it in here. Any other ideas as to how to do that!?

A little blurry, but you get the idea.

Now Sylvester the gigundo "kitten" is here "helping"....more photos with phone.

He somehow knows just where I am looking

Neil Young "One of these days" is playing on my Pandora radio taking me back to my days at Alderson Broaddus College. It really is amazing it's been over 25 years since I was there and one song can take me back. Bonnie Weston, Jeff Fine, Joyce Kerpchar. The loss of 4 friends in a car crash. I now can see Bonnie's 3 children grown on Facebook. Jeff sends out chilly photos from the cold wintery Maine, and Joyce is happy in Florida with her 3.

Where does the time go?

Now this is my view of the computer screen! He loves to follow the mouse, and even the cursor!



And if I stop this is the look I get! He really is funny!


So a lazy Saturday. Made yummy peameal, eggs and toast breakfast for Tim, we have been having Houlpkee (a stuffed cabbage dish he usually only makes a the new year!) he made last night.

I am on my eternal putter with papers, projects and the office. The beach house is rented for the weekend. They are loving it as much as we do!

Life is good. Tim starts his new job at NBCOT on Monday November 7, 2011.

I am content at work. Twenty two years there have flown by too.
Happy Fall/Winder weekend.

Mary Kathleen Larcombe Freese

Today my husband lost his Mom. A very sad day for many. Tim will miss his pilar of family. I will miss the best mother-in-law anyone could ask for. I'll post her mini bio here and a few photos.

Mary Kathleen (Kathie) Larcombe Freese

Mary Kathleen (Kathie) Larcombe Freese passed away peacefully at the age of 80 on August 15, 2011 at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. She succumbed to chronic heart and lung conditions.
Kathie was born on September 12, 1930 in Washington, D.C. She was the oldest daughter of John and Olive Larcombe. She grew up in Washington Grove and Gaithersburg where she enjoyed horseback riding in Laytonsville, spending time with family and friends, and playing sports. Kathie graduated from St. Martins of Tours School in 1944 and Gaithersburg High School in 1948. In high school, she was a distinguished athlete and captain of several sports teams. In college, she was a member of the University of Maryland’s renowned Gymkana Troupe, where she earned numerous awards including Best Trouper in 1949.

Kathie was a devoted mother of eight children. As an Air Force Officer’s wife, she raised her children in a variety of places including Arizona, Washington, DC, Georgia and New Mexico. She and her first husband homesteaded in Kenai Alaska, then moved to Bangkok, Thailand and finally returned to Maryland in 1970.

At age 44, Kathie returned to college and earned her BS degree in recreation from the University of Maryland, College Park. Kathie then worked for the Montgomery County Recreation Department for 23 years. A highlight of her career with the Recreation Department was her tenure as Director of Longwood Community Center where she and her second husband Graham Little were active in community affairs. Kathie was recognized by the Maryland House of Delegates for her outstanding contributions to the greater Olney Civic Association.
After being widowed for 9 years, Kathie was happily married to Russel Freese in 1996.
Kathleen is survived by her husband, Russel Freese of Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg, MD and her sister Jacqueline Doyle of Belvedere, CA and Santa Fe, NM. She is also survived by seven children, Joseph Kuchta and his wife Susan of Gaithersburg, John Kuchta of Redmond, WA, Mary Foster and her husband James of Baltimore, Carol Scannelli and her husband Vincent of Bethesda, Thomas Kuchta and his wife Stephanie of Kenai, AK and Pryor Lake, MN, Tim Kuchta and his wife Heidi of Kensington, and Jacqueline Kuchta and her husband David Wachter of Takoma Park. She is also survived by her step-son Robert Freese of Germantown and step-daughter Linda Privet of Brunswick, MD. She was predeceased by an infant daughter, Susan Virginia Kuchta. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Kathie was devoted to her family. She will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by them all.

Kathie made an anatomical gift to the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD.

There will be a memorial service for Kathie on Friday August 19, 2011 at 11:00 AM at The Guild Memorial Chapel in Asbury Methodist Village, 211 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877. A reception will follow the service. Gifts in her memory may be made to the Asbury Foundation – Benevolent Fund, 201 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877, (301-216-4051).

Say hello to my Dad and Brother Kathie. Enjoy all the angels that have gone before you. Enjoy getting to know your Susan. I love you. Heidi

My Dad

Today is his birthday. He was born August 13, 1929

He would have been 82! He now lived only half a life time, to die at 41 is a bummer!

Eighty-two, I cannot imagine him an old man. I guess that is the only good thing in dying young. He left this earth at 41. Forty one years is hardly any time at all to live. But in his 41 years he did so much, and made our family very happy and lucky.

I am honored that my brother took it upon himself to have 3 sons, and those 3 sons in turn now have 12 sons between them to carry on the Kestner name. Also my sister Holly has a son with the Kestner name and he has a son with the Kestner name. I hope each of those 13 young men turn out to be as good a man as their fathers, my brother and my dad. The world will be a better place all around with all those Kestner men in it! Two of the 13 Great Grandsons have the same middle name as my father. An honor I hope they grow to understand one day.

I have been going through slides lately. I found the ones below of my dear friend Tracy, me and Dad. I did not even remember the slide, much less the event. I know Dad came home from his 6 month civilian tour in Viet Nam with a new 35mm camera with a timer in it and he was so tickled to be able to get in the photo. This was very new in 1970 and he loved electronics. He may have been playing with it in anticipation of some family photos we took in the fall of 1970. I am sure he wanted Tracy and I to be his "models". I wonder if he missed getting in the first one, or if it was a "scout" shot to be sure the camera was working. So here we are. I think this was about August 70 (that is what the edge of the slide said). That would make Tracy 10, me 9 and Dad 40. He would not live to see another summer.






Dad would be so into all the electronics, computers, cameras, and cell phones. Even in 1971 he was excited about this new "fangled" thing that one day everyone would own.....a computer. At the time they took up entire rooms. But he was excited about them and knew they were going to happen. He would have so much fun with a digital camera and it's instant gratification it offers. We are so spoiled today to be able to instantly see the image we have captured digitally and not have to wait for processing and development.

As always I'd just like to have lunch with him, or be able to ask his opinion on something. For now I can only dream about him and hope he is having a good visit with Mike.

Happy Birthday Dad. I still miss you tons.
Forever your poochy pants

Random thoughts in no particular order

My sister is 63 today, she wears it quite well. We went to dinner tonight at Dutches Daughter in Frederick. A lovely meal, even with ice between her 2 daughters. I do hope this passes and they both come to realize life is more important than she said, he said.

My mother-in-law is deathly ill in Shady Grove ICU. This has been an exhausting 4 days and I fear many more to come. I feel so helpless and yet want to make everything right for my husband to shield him from this pain and make this time pass. Death is an inevitable end for all of us, yet so difficult for those left behind to mourn and adjust to life without the person just gone.

Work is difficult at best. I seem to make it all work, at times I fear I am not doing a good job. I have been distracted this week, and do not like it when it carries over to my work.

Our kittens are the best. Sylvester is funny, lovable and fun to have around. Smokey is her own self, beautiful and gives us love when she is in the mood!

I am blessed my Mom is in such good health for 87. May I be just like her at 87!

I've read a great book: Cutting for Stone. If you (whoever my reader is) have not read it I highly recommend it.

I am slowly getting somewhere with my office, very s l o w. But making progress. This week I am mailing cook books out west to the nieces and nephews and giving dog books to Karen. I can actually see floor in the office, and know where things are. Maybe by Christmas I will actually be able to use the table to "do" my Christmas cards. We all know how much I love to do those!

I hope to get some more hand work projects done. But I've been on a reading kick and that takes time too!

I wish I had my cell phone here. Sylvester has just coiled himself up in a bin and gone to sleep. I shall have to remember this one forever! He looks like ET in all my stuff on the desk! Maybe I can sneak away and get my phone. But he follows me like a shadow (I love that)

Summe Cume Laude

He did it!
My husband has a Bachelor Degree! He graduated Summe Cume Laude (that is a 4.0! for those of you who don't know) ALL A's!

The title is a bit long, but worth the wait!

Bachelor of Science

Concentration in Networking

Minor in Security Administration


I am so proud of my husband.




We had a celebration for him today. All his friends and family came to wish him well.
Many thanks to those who attended, sent cards and called to wish him well.
One huge accoplishment for my Timothy.

TA DA!

Memorial Day 2011

This morning I woke and called Mom to tell her to pick flowers to take to Dad in Gettysburg.
My Dad has been gone 40 years now. Very hard to type. But he is in a place with reverence and respect and I like to take Mom there on Memorial Day. Each grave has it's own American flag (two when husband and wife are together). A very moving sight.

We went, and took azaleas I planted in Mom's yard many moons ago.

We took stones that Mindy's four children had scavenged on a trip here earlier this month. Very special rocks were tucked by his stone this year. From his 4 great grand children, representing a new generation and also his 4 children. Mom brought him a stone from the blue lagoon in Iceland. A wonderful place that is worth going back to. It is the tiny black and white one.

A tearful, yet memorial journey. We had a good HOT day! Only 98 degrees today! Shew

The kittens

The other night I had to close my kittens out of my office as I could not get anything done on the computer. They were either sitting right in front of the screen, following the mouse/letters &/or cards or running a muck in all my "stuff" in the office that I still don't have control of. I felt bad, but as you've seen from prior posts, they do not let me get much done smack dab in front of the screen. They are leaning the "lay down" command that Kelly understood so well!

After a while I left the office to go have dinner with Tim. Dinner was over, we cleaned up and were watching TV, no kittens?! We called and they did not come, I looked in their usual sleeping places, no kittens. I could not find them, so I went upstairs and I had left the office door open. I went in the office to find my 2 sweet kittens sound asleep together on the seat of my chair. Too cute!

Life is good with Kittens in the house!

Easter 2011

My sister hit it out of the park this year for Easter. Kate has become quite the hostess with the mostest. She had the 6 of our shrinking little family over on Easter Sunday for brunch at 1pm. (Mom, Kate, Garry, Karen, Tim and I)

Her table was adorned with a mirror with crocus she had started 2 weeks prior to the event and ringed with all her eggs, both new and old. Each place had a mini bouquet spring flowers from her yard. She has Aunt Frannie's Iris dishes that make the table very special to Mom and perfect for an Easter event.







Tim and I were a little late as the beach holiday traffic hung us up. Garry went to get Mom and Karen arrived with her very pregnant 3 pound doglet. (My Smokey kitten is 6 lbs to give you an idea of how small this dog is) She is having a litter of unplanned puppies and her little mother is quite uncomfortable at this point, 4 for sure and maybe 6! She looks like a balloon with sewn on legs!

Kate made ham, yummy scalloped potatoes, cooked fresh green beans and carrots, deviled eggs and I added in the Mom broccoli salad. She borrowed my bundt cake pan and made yummy warm gooey buns! Kate had Easter baskets for the adults too. I will admit something in me is thrilled with an Easter basket. Although I had asked Tim if he wanted a basket and he said NO. So I felt off the hook. I must say I was so happy to have one to share with him. He ate all the reses peanut butter eggs and cups, but I still love him!

A lovey meal for sure. We all had a wonderful visit and were home in plenty of time to relax to get ready for the week.

Gardening, Kitten help!

HUM! How can I spend so much time in the yard and get so little done. Oh, yes. Spend too much time sitting and recovering from work I am doing. But it is good to be outside and I have a woodpecker that I love to find in the tree or on the telephone pole, silly wood pecker. I did not think telephone poles ever rotted, but he is trying very diligently to get into the top 12 inches of the one in my front yard.

Tim went to Costco today as we ready for the family of 6. Thank heaven I have an idea of what they eat. This is going to be fun, I just hope I can keep them entertained for 10 days.


The shutter people are scheduled to come for the guest room and Tim's office.


Tim has 2 tentative interviews next week! Wahoooo. I say practice practice practice till you find the perfect job for you! Interviewing is hard, and then you have to wait more.



I think my kitten is in heat again. I am just glad that means she is NOT PG! She goes on Monday for the fixin.


She has been helping me tonight on the computer. She at least will lay down for Oprah!

Mostly she sits right in front of the screen and tries to watch the mouse go. I try to make her think it's gone around the back, that only lasts as long as it takes her to walk back there and see it is not there, but I can get a lot done in that brief interlude.

I've put her outside the office.....she is making me nutso!

I think she misses Sylvester....for more than one reason. I just miss his personality!

April is wonderful

The moon this month is amazing. Actually better to me than the big hype last month. It has been a huge orange orb in the night sky lighting my way home. I've been on a work marathon, up most of the night Saturday and worked about 6 hours Sunday. Light day Monday and back on call tonight. Hopefully it will be a quiet one....but sure as I type this the phone will ring.

Tim is busy with his full time job of finding a job. We will take any and all leads to get him to his goal of a job he will enjoy and is qualified to do. Today it was one at Navy Federal. He has an interview on Tuesday next week, this from a resume sent out over a month ago. So response is slow, and we will be patient.

The daffodils are in full bloom, the grape hyacinths are here, and my red tulips are up and reminding me of my Dad every time I come in and out of the house. My cherry tree came and went far to fast this year, may be time for a dogwood out front too.

Grape Hyacinths are so cute and such happy little clumps of purple.


Daffodils and red tulips in the back ..Hi Dad!

Hostas from Mom's yard. I love these little ones.

And these are just special.

Tim and I are busy little bees getting ready for Mindy and her lovely family of 5 to be here for 10 days. I am sure I'll be totally exhausted after they are here, but will LOVE every minute of it. I, of course, have 20 things for them to do and only 10 days to do them! We'll see how far we get! Plus I am sure there are requests from them. Mostly it will be a blessing to have them here and celebrate Daniels graduation with his Master's degree from UMUC!

Sylvester has been at Moms for the past 2 weeks as Miss Smokey has gone into heat and we really do not need any unplanned kittens in this house. She is coming into her own of being quite the social puddy. She plays and loves her climbing tree and a new feather toy Tim bought her.

I am on pins and needles awaiting the arrival of Karen's unplanned puppies at her house. Her Chihuahua is due any day now with at LEAST 4 puppies, they must be as big as kittens when they are born as her "dog" is smaller than my adolescent kitten!

My office is still a clutter, I'll just have to close the door for company! That is life!

How can she be 35?

I remember the excitement with a bicentennial baby. A third for my brother and his wife. With 2 perfect boys I could not imagine who could follow such big shoes. And there she was.

Arminda Diane Kestner

A beauty, to become her Daddy's million dollar baby with her kissin' spot and her love of the 3 siblings to follow. A cherub from above and we were all in love immediately.

Pictures say a thousand words. I've found these and hope she will love seeing them as much as she knows we love her!

Happy 35th Birthday Mindy Kestner Grove, you mother of 4 yourself!