Aloha! a year and about 30 days or so, i retired from the school district. what a happy day that was, and i am still happy. a little glitch is that my husband retired the end of this school year too, so i have major attitude and space adjustments to make. i am sorry to say i deeply regret these feelings, but nevertheless, i have them so why not confess them as well. the plus' for my husband (and me) is his ability to de-stress (lifesaver for both of us), work around the home 24/7 (drives me nuts), go when and where he pleases (no longer based on how he feels, and so much more. for 18 years his schedule was up at 4:45 am, at work by 6 or 6:15, drive all day and home around 5 or 5:30, winter, spring, summer and fall. might not be a big deal for some men, but we both grew up in Hawaii and learning to live and function in seasons was difficult, then became better, slowly into tolerable and finally unbearable. so, since retirement, the stress of functioning in all seasons is greatly relieved.

it dawned on me recently that when i follow along with blog hops and enter my comments, a great many of my comments are attached to my google blogspot. i don't think anyone actually comes to my blog, after all, it isn't very good. but what if i finally bit the bullet and learned how to upload projects (scrapbooking and cardmaking) and at least followed what i mentioned in my headline? worth the effort.

i have been so happy being a grandparent. my grandkids call me TuTu, Hawaiian term for grandma, pop pop is what they call grandpa. i have 3 grandsons, 2 granddaughters, and one in the oven. my two sons are married, the oldest, Simon n Mindy, have 3 boys and precious Ruby Lynn Kuulei (2.5 years) and my other son Ben n Heidi have beautiful and adorable Gretchen Leilani, (2.7 years) and 10 weeks into baby #2. how blessed am i! my daughter is 22, hasn't dated anyone because she says the men she's met are immature. i just tell her that God is still working on you both and you will meet in His timing. i am blessed that she is content and smart about who she meets and who she wants to invest her life with.

my dear friend Lynette, in Hawaii, keeps trying to get me to come to our high school reunion. every 5 years she really pushes in the sweetest way. uh, maybe not often as every 5 years, my memory is not soo good. but she has been the best friend one could ever pray for. last june she and long time boyfriend (26 years i think) Bill were married. about time, right!

so, later, i'll try the whole upload thing. i am going to wait for my daughter to come and teach me the whats and whatnots. so far i know how to download pictures to Costco to be developed.

Aloha

may 13, 2013! my sister nani is celebrating birthday 60-something. how about that, i don't remember which birthday number she hits this year. the years don't matter, it's what we do with them that matters. i have 4 sisters total, but nani and i are the closest, both geographically and everything else. our dad lives with nani, they built onto the house that my mom and dad had built back in the early 70's. wish i could be there! i am retiring at the end of this school year, june 12th to be exact. oh yes, i am very excited! i can go visit my pops and sister and nieces anytime i want, providing the weather allows. but it is going to be summer sooner or later here in central oregon, and that means i won't be freezing and miserable for about 45 days. summer doesn't last long, but it is so beautiful. i love each day, like it was my last-----because before i know it, winter has returned.

i have been making cards for most of the winter, but several weeks ago we had a 3-day crop. i armed myseld with tons of photos printed from costco. chose an outrageous amount of patterned papers and plain card stock, die cutting machine, bling, adhesives, paints, sewing machine, embellies, and the list goes on and on. i always haul way too much to a crop, but i go there with a clean slate, i never pre-plan my scrapbooking. i begin with the photo(s) or which group of papers i want to use. no 2 pages are ever alike, and that's how i like it. making my own embellishments, alphas, using paints, stamps, ink, and an endless amount of other tools, i sit and create each page. i am most relaxed at home when i am creating but going to crops puts me in touch with my friends i have made over the years who share the same passion about paper crafting. i've never submitted any of my creations to magazines or other blogs, i have never had the desire to do such. perhaps i'm afraid of something or another, but i doubt it. i don't have the desire to spend time on the computer. i love my macbook air, but its just a tool, not a way of life. i get sucked into it many times, but not so much as to concern me. i like things just the way they are.

my two grand-daughters that were born in winter 2011 and 2012 have grown up way too fast. little gretchen leilani will be 18 months at the end of may, and miss ruby lynn kuulei will have just turned 16 months. little grand daughters are so much fun. now my grand sons' are growing waaaaay too fast. sam will be 9 on the 29th of this month, pete will be 6 in september, and andy will be 3 in july! whooooo, that was too fast. i'm falling asleep just looking at my computer, so i'm just going to end this conversation right here.

may Our Dear Lord bless you each and every day of your life. if you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please do. it will reserve your home in eternity with God. the alternative is burning in hell with satan.  God Bless you all!

aloha, jo ann

I love Thanksgiving

this is the time of year i enjoy the most. i have several good reasons, and several selfish reasons, so i'll start with the good reasons. i am thankful every day i wake up and can get out of bed. i thank God for this and i also thanks Him for so many, many other things as well. my selfish reasons began about 10 years ago when my oldest son's beautiful wife Mindy started a new Thanksgiving tradition of hosting this wonderful day and feast. my son, Simon, cooks the turkey in the deep fryer and also a traditional turkey in the oven. mindy bakes pies, makes the favorite sweet potatoes with marshmellows, green beans, lattes..................oh the list goes on. i bring the cornbread stuffing and cranberries (so easy). did i mention that they do all this with three growing boys, the oldest being 7, that is Sam, next comes Pete, at 5, and not last but next is Andy, at 16 months. in January, 2012, miss Ruby Lynn Kuulei Delery will be introduced to the world, what joy and excitement. so, don't you think they do a tremendous amount of work for Thanksgiving?!! Mindy is 37, i had my second son when i was 37. she will be close to turning 38 when miss ruby arrives. i, on the other hand was 43 when i had my daughter, rebekah.  my middle son married a year and a half ago to beautiful Heidi Lynn and they are expecting their first child just after Thanksgiving, around the 28th. so, you see, i am so blessed, and so thankful, because i serve an awesome God who loves me unconditionally; who sent His Son to earth as a newborn child, to save us from our sins by sacrificing His life for ours, thereby taking our sin burden upon His sinless life. all we do is ask Him into our lives, confess our sins, which are forgiven forever, and with the help of the Holy Spirit lead a life that is pleasing to God and brings Him Glory. now, while that may all sound so simple, it isn't. but He, God, left us His Word, the Bible, and what a manual it is. read it sometime, then read it all the time. Let God be Himself in your lives, He will change you from the inside out. it's eternity with Him or eternity with the devil. it's not a difficult choice at all!

i'm going to be doing a stampin up workshop on the 2nd of December. my first in about 4 years. i have so many ideas in my head, tomorrow i will start designing a few of those ideas. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob become your God also. it's never too soon, none of us are guaranteed a long life. tell your loved ones too!

Trinity Designs: Spice Cake Scalloped Circle Easel Card

Trinity Designs: Spice Cake Scalloped Circle Easel Card

my hawaiian sista has found me!

i received the happiest email of my life a few days ago (or maybe just yesterday) from my hawaiian sista linnie. we were school mates, kailua high school, class of 1968!! hi linnie!!!!! you better not get married and not invite me, even if you just go to the court house (a friend of mine, her daughter and new hubbie did this). i need to be there. you were there for me, oh so many years ago. this is a personal blog, i guess, since i am aiming right at you my friend.

bekah and i are doing good. she has two part time jobs and is always on the go. not forgetting to have fun in the between times. she makes me so happy, she'll never know just how much. she lovingly called me her senior citizen mom once and i liked it so i keep reminding her that i can't keep up! ben and heidi celebrated their 1 year anniversary on march 5th and a couple of weeks later announced that heidi is pregnant. yipee!!!!!!!!!!!! that will make me tutu to #4! my 3 grandsons from simon and mindy are so wonderful. we play, talk, go on walks, i feed andy when i'm there. he's crawling now. just started a few nights ago!! he's 8 months now. sam is 6, 7 on 5/29 (oh gosh, too fast to grow up my keiki) and pete is 4. they are all doing good. these are wild times we live in. have you ever read the book of Revelation. it is the last book in the Bible. well, it describes what we're experiencing so much of now, or as stated in other parts of the gospels, it is like experiencing birth pangs (without the reward of a sweet child, but the blessed hope of eternal life with Jesus Christ and Almighty God)! ok, another time............

i love my scrapbooking! i have been to 1 retreat, and three 12 hour crops (saturday's) so far this year. next 12 hr. crop is 4/16. it is a great time to catch up on what's been going on with my friends since i don't normally see these ladies except during scrapping times. we share our lives, family news, recipes, scrappy ideas, supplies, food, on and on we go. we decided to meet once a month to make cards (the 6 of us that always share the same table), since we like to make cards as well. we turned 60 last year didn't we linnie! i am puzzled by my mixed emotions, i can't put a finger on it yet, so i make notes here and there about how i'm feeling. it's a new era, a time in my life that i did not spend much time thinking about, it just arrived. i feel the same, look the same, act the same. but i get the feeling i should be on the "lookout" for things to come. crazy, i'll talk more when i can put a name to it.

do you remember the time you and chrislynn came to babysit simon and newborn ben so that steve and i could go out for our anniversary dinner? we honestly did not rush (i sure didn't) but we returned before ben even woke up. maybe you should have spent the night that time, because he did wake up!! now he's 26 and expecting his first child (thanksgiving time), in the process of buying their first home, good job, awesome german shepard, Atia is her name, and Jorge Michael the cat (heidi named the cat). he has this receding hair line, affectionately called his 'nerd' head. ah, i miss you linnie, i really really do. we need to talk story! and have tea! and go shopping, walk on the beach, remember stuff. give your mom a big hug for me. i hope her health improves; i hope you finish that condo before bill gets home (and rented too!). let me know how chrislynn is doing and all your beautiful grand-babies (not babies anymore huh?)! did windward side have to evacuate for the tidal wave from japan earthquake? so sad...............i heard a news report that the japanese people are so cultured, there was no looting, no rioting, no crazies! much sorrow though, huh?!

well my dearest friend, my hands hurt from pulling out those nasty little studs from my tires so i don't get fined $100 starting tomorrow. they extended the time to have studded tires off cars till 4/4 due to some bad storm heading our way over the weekend. never showed up. sunshine, but not too warm. probably will snow  tonight and tomorrow tho'! ha!!! i sound like an old pessimist. but i'm not, i'm still the optimist, thankful for each new day that i can crawl outta bed HAHAHA!

Aloha my friend, until next time,

jo

i have purposed in my heart to follow my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

it has been way too long. greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. i have been away so long, i don't know what to share. so i'm going to start with my grandchildren. this year marked the 6th birthday for my oldest, Sam, his brother Peter turned 4 in september and just prior to that, on july 20th my 3rd grandson Andrew (affectionately called Andy) arrived. all three boys are my oldest son Simon and Mindy's beautiful children. and what a happy family, full of love, affection, fun and adventure. Peter is a pistol, he leaps without looking. he's so full of life, his smile can't be wiped off his face unless he gets an 'owie'. but soon it returns. he decided one outing with his pop and brothers at the golf course to just leap out of the golf cart before dad stopped and his left foot was run over by the cart. this was just before his 4th birthday. boy did he love telling the story. his little limp went on for about 2 weeks. Sam has always been the calm, sweet and loving child, caring for his brother(s) and comforting Pete in all his boo boos. now he has Andy to watch over too and so far Andy has the same sweet, happy spirit as Sam . he's such a good big brother.

anyway, i missed the last weekend crop (oct. '10) because i was in a funk. spiritually, physically and emotionally. i could not tell you specifics, i just knew i would be dead weight to my friends and i had no desire to mope away such a fun and entertaining and productive time. so, i am going to our next 2-12 hour crops in november and december and our retreat in january 2011!! signed up and paid for! i still don't know how to download pictures from this mac my son gave me 2 years ago and i am at the mercy of my 18 yr old daughter to help me, but she is always on the go. so, no more saying i will post until it actually happens. i will learn somehow, by taking copious notes and practice, practice. i have no school for a week during the thanksgiving break and then two weeks for the holidays of Christmas and new year's. i just put a big post it note on my computer monitor. i am really enjoying the spray mist products, the masking, grungeboard (actually i like everything tim holtz style) and then my usual paints, hand written journaling, making my embellishments, etc.

it's 12:45 am. i don't start my shift at school till 11 am, but i like to get up at 7:45 am and check the emails, facebook, blogs, etc., drink a couple cups of coffee, and go out to my studio to do something or look at what i did the night before. so, i will say aloha for now and with all good intentions, i shall post again soon. Mahalo to anyone who reads this and would like to post some helpful tips on how to get my pics from iphoto (MAC OS X program) to my blog page.

Stamp-n-Design: Just Believe Twisted Pyramid Card

Stamp-n-Design: Just Believe Twisted Pyramid Card

what a beautiful card and technique. i am going to give it a try. thank you!

summer races to an end.....

i don't like to see (feel) summer leaving. i enjoy the heat and outside so much. of course, we don't have the scortching heat and humidity like much of the country. what we have is 10 months of fall/cold winters and 2 months of summer. no real spring, lucky to have an indian summer every other year or less. BUT, this was an exciting summer for me. in july, i turned 60, and just 2 days later my third grandson was born into my oldest sons family. they now have 3 boys, sam is 6, pete is almost 4 and today andy is 5 weeks old. wow, how blessed is that! i didn't start my monthly journal for the month of july like i wanted to, i did not have any pictures printed like i wanted because i need to wait till school starts to get back to work, but when i do put the month in an album i will be ready because i make journaling notes, kept receipts and lots of epherma (i need a spell check). both the front and back yards are green again with a lawn (missing for 5 years :( - don't ask) and my daisies and black eyed susans have bloomed all summer. i have been to one crop retreat and two 12 hour crops this summer and i always take my scrapbooking or cardmaking supplies when i house-sit. so i have been productive. my new daughter had a fright and ultimate victory over melanoma cancer in july, my daughter is looking for full time work and wonderful, both my sons are very blessed with wonderful wives and so i just want to say, Praise the Lord!

blog hopping

i have been blog hopping with ippity this morning! what a fine group of very talented ladies, providing a wealth of ideas, using awesome products and giving much joy and fun inspiration to many! i could not have spent a better one hour doing anything else. but, alas, i must get ready for work. ugh! another day of doing dishes for the school district! don't mind the work, i love working by myself, but at my age it's backbreaking and painful on the hands. no whining here, just the facts. can't wait to get home, soak my hands in warm water, then start being creative too! thanks unity ipity chicks! i had a very relaxing and peaceful and inspiring morning!

crop weekend!

i am so looking forward to this weekend's crop. i have missed my scrapbooking buddies for a long while. or maybe is seems so long ago because winter will not go away!!!!! this weekend promises to be a beautiful one though, and i know, i am going to be indoors. but, i will be by a big picture window--with a view of a side street, a credit union and an athletic club. all complaining ceases now!

ok----i am giving myself some advice: don't read your own posts. golly me, they are depressing. i am not a doom and gloom person. i have a great outlook on life, live on the positive side of it all as much as possible and above all do not wish to be a complainer. so, that being said;

i love scrapbooking and some card making. i signed up for unity stamp company's kit of the month. they are a refreshing new company (2 years old now) with original and exciting stamps. they are deeply etched red rubber, cushion layer, and then a cling backing. red rubber has always been my favorite stamp of choice and with the introduction of cling backed red rubber stamps (maybe a decade or so ago) i can have my favorites and save on space as well. so i am anxiously awaiting May's kit to arrive, but i have february through april's kits to take with me to my crop.

another company i really adore is called scarlet lime scrapbooking kit club. their kits are not your ordinary boring, they are always bright and cheery. i love the variety of papers, ribbons, buttons, even fabric pieces to incorporate onto your layouts, and each month a new clear stamp for noting the date on your page is also included.

i am not a designer or otherwise for either above mentioned companies. i just wanted to share what i enjoy.

wow, my youngest turned 18 on april 23rd! yikes!!! my sons' are 36 and 25. i still don't feel or think i look like i do (when i see myself in a mirror for example), but reality is not forgiving. i am looking my 59 years and feeling all the aches and pains that go with RA, OA, FMS and thyroid problems. ick, so many abbreviations above. hahahahahahaha, i still love life to the fullest and find that the joy of the Lord is my strength!

i have told myself that i will learn how to post pictures of my hobbies, but haven't yet. so, after this weekend, i hope to learn and post pictures of my scrapbooking weekend. Aloha for now from Bend.

boring

i just returned to my blog, long absence, and read my postings. they are so boring! gosh, what was i thinking, well boring is my life. as much as i enjoy what i do, i am unable to express it with any enthusiasm at all. and my spelling and grammar, gee, they were my favorite subjects in school (even though that was 42 years ago)!i know the truth is always the best, so here it is. i have been separated from my husband of 27 years for 3 years now. because i cannot afford to move, cannot find a full time job (but cannot also work full time), i have moved into the back of the house. It used to be my craft room. it is large, has its own entrance and porch and a door separates it from the rest of the house. it does not, however, have its own bath and kitchen. so, i hole up (literally live in my room) when i know that he is home. since all the rage has subsided and he leaves me alone it is tolerable, but unhealthy. my friend today noticed and remarked how i look so troubled, even though i keep up the good front and we always have a good time laughing and sharing stories about work (we are lunch ladies at our local schools), my life is not right, not good for me. she was so sincere and i loved her for noticing. so we talked about what my plans are. my daughter is turning 18 on the 23rd of this month. after that time is when i plan on filing my divorce papers with the court. yes, i know, doing your own divorce is not beneficial in many ways, but i just must be free of this oppression in my life. i have lived with doom and gloom for so long i am so ready to be done with his dark cloud. my (our) 3 children want what's best for me and love me so much. he has never had a relationship with any of them (2 sons and 1 daughter) after the age of 5. that's when they were to grow up and start taking on some responsibilities. I'm not going there, not even knowing i am the only one reading this. i just don't want to think about it anymore. i loved my husband with all my heart and soul, knowing his flaws and willing to love him through it all. i raised my children to love their hardworking father, but as each of them reached the age of reason, they knew what kind of man he was, knew what they were missing, and each formed their own ways of coping. only my oldest son rebelled, my other two have been level headed and tried not to be confrontational. my oldest son has been married 10 years now, a loving wife, two adorable (of course) grandsons, almost 6 and 2-1/2 (with Andrew expected in mid-July). He has asked his dad to be a part of his children's lives and he is their only grandfather. his wife's father passed away before their firstborn. so far, he is being great with them. they love him, and i could not ask for any better. we only talk when necessary (thankfully for me) and i don't really believe he believes i am going through with filing for a divorce. he will react very badly, i will probably stay with friends until he leaves the house and then the whole process will begin. if you are a believer in Jesus Christ and happen upon this post, please pray for me and my daughter. we all know the difficulty our economy has created on so many families and so many people without work. i don't know how we will do, but i do know that my faith in my Savior Jesus Christ will sustain us. good night Jo Ann (me), good night Rebekah, aka becks, good night Ben and Heidi and good night Simon, Mindy, Sam and Peter. i love you all so very much!

giving credit

i want to give credit for the information leading me to this information came from the 'tip junkie'. creator Laurie Turk of the DFW, Texas great state! thanks laurie!!!

fabric flowers

just made my first fabric flower using tutorial from maizi in montana, thank you so much. i started with 2" width, am going to do a 1" width now. wheeeeeeee, this is fun!!!! i hope i have the right spelling for your name. i will correct if needed. mahalo! just want to correct my statement: maize in montana, website is maizehutton.com.

later, same day

i am enjoying ananyminity, but still not knowing what to write about. i could tell myself about all my favorite pattterned paper lines, stamp companies, etc. and it would be a reminder for me since i forget somethings almost as soon as i hear, read or see it. duh, what makes me think i'll go right here and write them down. hmmm, no biggie, i've learned to live this way, and always try to do better. loving this!

yipee!

i'm going to get the hang of it sooner than later. i mean, i will be learning how to add things to my blog from other's. i still haven't mastered the adding pictures thingie, i need my teenage, almost 18, daughter to help me and she is not home so much any more. anyway, thanks Joy's Life for allowing me to add you as a ??? to my blog. what's it called again. who cares, i love it. and i'm going to find my heat n bond and cut something on my cricut to put on my blah purse! aloha for now!!

time marches on........

it has been 2-1/2 weeks since Ben & Heidi's wedding. i'm still feeling so peaceful and happy for them. it was a beautiful ceremony, all moments of great love and joy between them and everyone there to share in their love.

my life since then has been an ongoing battle with buzzard breath (the devil). he is trying to steal, rob and destroy my joy in the Lord. every moment of every day this past week has been a trial and i am confident that the Lord is preparing me for new challenges, a work for the Kingdom of God. so, that's good. i am not helpless and especially not hopeless. (it just started to rain. i can hear it on the metal roof above me.) we may even have some snow in the next couple of days. we have had beautiful spring weather all week (beginning last thursday 3/18), but alas, this is central oregon. wait 10 minutes and the weather will change. a few more days left before returning to school.

there are not many things in my life that bring me despair, so i'm going out on a limb and mention one. i went to see my rheumatologist this week, my usual 4 month check-up. i asked if i could take away one of the meds that we had talked about 4 months previous, if my current status on the remicade and methotrexate continued to allow me more energy and freedom from pain. it has been 2 years now on this course of meds. she laughed and said that they usually don't take away any meds, in fact it is usually the case that they will add something else. i did not argue with her, but was insistent that she did mention that i could cut back of one of them and eventually stop it if my condition remained the same. so i am going to wean myself off of one of them and believe i will be able to discontinue it altogether within the 4 months it will take to do this. after being diagnosed 15 years ago, i am still the only one that knows me and my body the best, and in 5 years when medicade kicks in as my primary health insurance (which is a big "IF" right now), i won't be able to afford all the meds anyway, so i want to know now what i can do to become free of all these chemicals and 'live with it', 'it' being the pain. will i still be able to function, scrapbook and enjoy my grandkids and my family? i will trust in the Lord no matter what. i gave Him my life and i will always remind myself to stay the course, focus on Jesus, as He is the author and finisher of my life. Yikes, its 2:10 am. i wanted to be asleep by midnight. aloha for now.

Aloha!

My second son's wedding is only 7 days away. I just learned yesterday that my third grandson (from my oldest son) is a boy, his name is Andrew (due to arrive in July)! Wow, am I one happy and blessed mom and Tutu (Hawaiian for Grandmother). I am slowly and painstakingly learning how to upload photos to my blog and a new group I just signed up with, "My Unity Place" with Unity Stamp Company. Will be adding favorite blogs to follow later. Need to make a list. As much as I would like to portray a simpler and happier time in my life, it just would not be true. I am nearing the end of another decade of my life (the fifties) with many uncertainties, i.e. marriage, health issues, and an economy that will not allow me to support myself. Yet I do not feel burdened or sad because I know from whom my strength comes, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is for me ever present in so many times of need. And, I will not succumb to self-pity and depression. Well, that said, I am working on my second son's and fiance's 'dating' album. They have supplied me with excellent material in photos--they are so much fun, goofy, laughing, everyday stuff that makes they grow in their knowledge of each others' strengths and shortcomings and working through all the issues that need to be dealt with before and after they are married. They are both meant for each other, God has prepared each of them for each other. They are and always will be a work in progress, with the wisdom to know that communication is a #1 priority. OK, enough for today. I can't seem to get off the topics of my kids, so tomorrow I am going to try uploading a few scrapbook pages of those two love birds before they actually get married. Hopefully it won't take 8 days to figure out! Aloha for now.

Another year or so .....

Another large segment of time has flown by. Whooosh!!!! But I have the greatest news to share. My son Benjamin is getting married on March 5th, 2010 to a beautiful lady named Heidi Miller. They will remain here in Bend after they are married. Yipee!!!! I am expecting my third grandchild from my oldest son Simon and wife Mindy, in July of this year. (my grammar may be off there, ???) I am no longer a Stampin Up hobbyist, but would like to return to that sometime soon. I miss their great products. I have been faithfully scrapbooking, my favorite hobby and reading material subject. I drive my family nuts with this, but so we are. The super information highway has left me in the dust and I am glad. I don't need high tech in any part of my life. I love paper, ribbon, metal gadgets and my Cricut die cutting machine. Needless to say, I have not learned how to download pictures of my pages, but am always hopeful my daughter will be patient with me again and show me how. Today I attended the last Tea that my wonderful friend Janice May has done for so many years past. She and her husband Dennis are going to be caretakers for a Bible Camp on the other side of the mountain from here, somewhere around Medford. We went to family camp with them two years ago, and yes we had a great time. But I will miss my dear friends. For the last year we have had dinner and a movie night every week. It was our way of staying connected. It is so easy to get caught up in the work 'vortex' (comment from a friend this week who I have not seen in years) and not stay connected with friends. I am still a lunch lady, now at a Middle School (what happened to Junior High) because it is only 10 miles from home and not 20, so I am very blessed with the move in January. I hate to say my life is boring, because I don't think it is, but it is pretty much one sided. I have been separated from my husband for 3 years now and it is just my daughter and I. She will be 18 in April. Gladly, she and her friend Anna (her parents are the ones leaving town) will be setting up their apartment in part of my studio (a separate building which used to be my salsa commercial kitchen) until they find full time work and can afford an apartment. I am glad they will be close to me. (funny, it's only a hop, skip and a jump out the back door) Bekah will be able to keep her dog and Anna's parents will be relieved to know that their daughter will be with close friends.
Aloha for now..............must go find the fabric I want to use for my dress to wear to Ben & Heidi's wedding!!

August is almost half over!!

I don't want summer to end. I love summer. I am tired of winter. OK, enough I's. This will be our 23rd Autumn. A very beautiful season. Having moved from Hawaii, experiencing the 4 seasons is beautiful. Missing the awesome Hawaii weather is bittersweet. We returned in 2005, our first trip home since moving here. It was wonderful. I returned again in January 2006 with my oldest some and his family. His wife was also born and raised in Hawaii. As I get older in years (not in spirit) the winters in Central Oregon never seem to end until well into June. And yet there have been years when summer was a very short two week period. So, every warm to hot day is cherished by my bones and muscles and much appreciated. I love Central Oregon, we have roots here. I just need to get my attitude adjusted and dig in for Winter, which should arrive around October, or November. It's been known to have a little winter, then a little spring, then back to blizzard winter, then mid-winter spring. You get the idea! Aloha for today!!

Time on my hands...........

Almost a year ago I started this blog. Like too many things at my age, I almost immediately forgot about it. Several times over this 'year' I would think about it, but had forgotten what name I chose. Tonight, I just decided to Google blogspot.com. It asked for my email address and password and that, my friends, is how easy it was to return to my spot. I have no intention of catching up on lost time, so the most recent news would be finally finding and purchasing a used car to replace my truck. I have not done much car-shopping in my life, and so I will confess that it was an ordeal. I dislike trying on cars as much as I dislike trying on shoes and clothes. When I sat in this last car, I knew immediately it was the right fit! Now I can go driving down the road in a clean machine that doesn't break the bank at the gas pump. Feels real good! By clean machine, I mean a good looking used car, which does happen to be forest green (I am not a tree hugger). I have always wanted a dark green car, now I own one. A Honda Accord. First time and lifetime owner. I can still be driving this rig at 75, 16 more years!!! Lovin' it. And its only been 7-1/5 hours. Tomorrow I will learn how to download or upload pictures of some of my scrapbooking pages. That's my only true passion now-a-days. I have 2 grandsons you see and lots of time to catch up on all the pictures of my 3 children from birth to now. I don't do chronological, I like random and everyday life. Aloha for now.....