41 years old, 41 years gone

Hard to imagine him 82. My Dad forever 41.

The day was a usual Friday for me today. Busy day at work, after an unexpected 4 day work week.

I had Wednesday off and puttered around the house in the morning and picked Mom up by 11:30. She and I rode to Columbia Mall. I had gifts to exchange there and she patiently waited in the car reading, her knee was bothering her and she did not want to walk a lot. I found an Aveda store and picked up a few things for me and a treat for Tim for Valentine's day. I exchanged my gifts and we rode home. A lovely day with Mom.

Then Friday the 10th came. It seems to always sneak up on me. I remember the day well. It was a warm sunny afternoon and Dad was waiting for me to get home from school. It was Valentine's week and I was excited making my Valentine box. He was in the bed in the downstairs bedroom, he could not go up a flight of steps anymore, he got to winded. He kissed me and told me he loved me, the rest is a bit of a blur. I know Mom had our rocks out that we had finished tumbling from a Christmas present. Kate came over with a catalog for the summer classes at the University of Maryland. Dad was always bettering himself. The ambulance was in the driveway. Dad was so quiet, I remember him there on the stretcher in the living room, he seemed so still. Then he was in the ambulance.... Mom drove away following the ambulance. Kate and I did the laundry from his bed. He never came home that time. The funeral is a blur except for all my camp fire girl troop there in their uniforms and Ken Crowley. He had just played the scare crow in an Einstein Theater production of the Wizard of Oz and I was so impressed with him. I made a pipe cleaner pink heart to put in his coat pocket in the casket with him. Mom had a hard time deciding about weather to keep his wedding ring or not. She did and I am eternally grateful.

I really have no recollections about life from then until well into Junior High school.

My heart was broken, I was lost and lonely. Thank heaven for Mom, she for me and me for her. We became inseparable. I was the first latch key kid in my world. Everyone else had a Mom at home. I did not, she was at work. We did fine, my Mom and I.

And now, 41 years later, I am blessed to still have my Mom, to spend an unexpected day off with. To giggle with, spend time with and do the things together that we have always loved to do.

I miss you do much Dad. As usual, I'd love to sit and have a meal with you. I know you are with me often... I've sent many people to see you. Most recently Tim's Mom, Aunt Lois, Darlene, Mike, even Emily Blanche!

I have my Tim who is a constant companion and comfort to me. Thank you for sending him my way.

I love you Dad.
I love you too Momma.

Life and blessings

It seems in life no matter what I do there is always someone who takes things the wrong way. No matter who I have spoken to, everyone has the same problem. Why do people get upset and not talk to the person they are upset with? How can someone fix a wrong or explain their thoughts if no one lets them know there is something wrong.
I shall go on living the best life I can and know that I deal with others the way I want to be dealt with. Like it or not. That is how I am.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. A good model to live by
I try to be willing to say anything to someones face that I say to another about them to others. But sometimes that is not the best thing to do.

I have a wonderful, thoughtful, considerate husband who I am blessed to have in my life.
I am lucky to have my Mom still, she is an inspiration for me to be like when I am 88!
My sisters are my best friends and will always be. They can make me mad, but we get over it and always have each others back.
My brother blessed this family with 6 children who keep me on my toes. As adults they have each grown into individuals who I love and am proud of each of them in their own way.
My other niece and nephew hold a special place in my heart as well, each of them I have been blessed to live near in their youth.
I am blessed with many friends, and count many of them as family.

Perhaps this is a lesson to make me appreciate all that I do have and know I am indeed blessed.

Count your blessings, name them one by one. You'll be amazed at the glory in your life.

Hello February 2012

This will be just my thoughts:

• Where did January go? This seems to be a recurring theme with me. I cannot believe it is Feb. 1! Hardly any snow this winter and today it was 72 degrees!
• I have a new fangled computer. Mine died about 2 weeks before Christmas which gave Santa Tim the opportunity he had been waiting for to give me my gift early. He almost absolutely cannot wait till Christmas morning to open presents. My hard drive fried, and he could hardly wait to give me this wonderful new fangled laptop with all kinds of bells and whistles that I am still learning. If anyone wants "facetime" with me, I now have a camera and I will be here at the appointed time to talk....once I figure out this "easy application!"
• I had been having difficulty opening my own blog, but I seem to have overcome that issue. Now I just don't have any one's address. SO, if you want to e-mail me them I'd appreciate it, though no one seems to be "blogging" these days as facebook has taken over the world.
• Tim has been at his new job the appointed 90 days, so I guess he will be there a while.
• Mom has had a tough winter. She had a pacemaker placed December 20, 2011! Doing just fine from that. Now last Thursday she chipped off half her front tooth opening a creamer....now has a new tooth too! Has to be tough to be 88. But she is working busily away on her new stained glass project for Kate. A beautiful entry door panel with 5 iris. It will be breathtaking like all her other work.
• Tim and I are back to our weekly weekend trips to Rehoboth Beach. It is so nice to get away to our "other" house. We seem to putter and relax quite well out there. It is nice Eileen and Joe are in Lewes now and Pat is out much more often.
• My office is still ahead of me, but I am winning the race. Tim also bought me a neat desk to scan all my papers. Now to learn how to use that too.

That seems to be all for now. Time for bed and another day at work.

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.