Grandpa

Where does one start when you want to write about someone who means so much to them.
Today I found out that our grandfather passed away.
It makes me sad but it also makes me reminisce about days gone by, about the man that he was to me.
He was my rock. I owe a lot to the type of person that I am to him. He taught me many things.
He taught me how to work hard and to have pride in my work.
He taught me how to save money, as you all know he knew how to save a dime.
I remember getting ready for a camping trip one summer and the week before my girlfriend and I
rode the mini-bikes that they had and I crashed one and didn't tell him that I broke it.
When we were loading everything up to take camping he saw that the bike was broken and was not very happy.
I confessed to the deed and was grounded from the one bike that was working while on the trip.
He told me later that if I had come and told him that I had broken it he could have fixed it before the trip.
He didn't say he wouldn't have been upset but he explained that the consequences would have been much different.
So he taught me to be honest and take my lumps.
Grandpa loved to read. He taught me to crave knowledge to learn something everyday.
The memory of sitting on his lap on the Harvester or helping him carry a bucket of feed for a pig or chicken.
Riding in the old pickup on a hot summer's day with a glass of Pepsi in my hand on my way up to the bench to give him while he was working
either harvesting the wheat or putting up the hay.
Swinging on the saddle that was hanging in the shop while he was fixing something.
Rides in the truck to the Big Hole as he told me of all the people he knew that lived in the area.
He loved the land and he was a good steward.
He was probably the first recycler always reusing something till it gave no more.
Who could go to Grandpa's house with out raiding the candy drawer, his favorite stash of chocolate,peppermints, horehound, lemon drops, gum and other sweets.
But I'll always remember his sloppy kisses. The love he gave to all of us, with his whole heart .

He is at peace now on the top of a mountain in heaven looking over all the land.

How I spend my Time

Here's a picture of me and my friend Marta.
I work for her making invitations. It keeps me in trouble and I love it.
We're pictured here at the January Dallas Bridal Show.

Easter Weekend

Well here goes.
Since Easter is the beginning of a new church year how appropriate to start a blog. All things new.
My sister Peg and her family came to Denton for the Easter weekend. Time was short but as always we had a great visit. They drove up from Mandeville Louisianna. It takes anywhere from 8 1/2 to 10 hours of driving depending on traffic. It's hard for them to avoid Dallas traffic unless they leave at O dark hundred. That's 6:00 a.m. They pulled into Denton about 5:30 Fri. afternoon.
I'm sure you can all agree that when you get together with family it's all about the food and all about getting everyone to get out the door in a reasonable amount of time when going places. The more members of family , the harder it is to get them out the door. But when you come to my house it's about the food. I love to cook and don't mind it either. But be sure you are going to eat something I've never prepared before. So you are my guinea pigs. I haven't heard any complaints yet. This Easter was no different. Tried a new asparagus recipe and cooked a leg of lamb for the first time. Now I bet you're wondering how someone who cooks so much has never cooked lamb before, well easy my family doesn't like lamb. So when I asked Peg if her family likes lamb and she said yes I was jumping for joy. There is nothing like a good piece of juicy lamb with a spoonful of mint jelly. So for the other members of the family I cooked a ham. Jim, Peg's husband, was my wine steward. I have about 40 bottles of wine to choose from and knew there were some in there to drink before they went bad. He picked out a Pinot Noir Lindeman's Bin 99 2004. Great wine and was perfect.
Before dinner we decided to leave the guys and go shopping. The weather here was beautiful. Around 70 degress. The guys thought it would be a great day for a boat ride. That was until about an hour and a half later they figured out they couldn't go anywhere, because Peggy had the keys to the Jeep that was blocking the gate to the boat. They had to wait till we got back from the Galleria to go boating. Dave,Jim, Erin and Jake all went to Lake Lewisville and the kids went tubing. So when they came back fro the lake and they were wet. I thought that they had lost their mind. No telling how cold that water is. Jake wore a shorty wet suit but Erin did not and some how her brother pushed her off the back of the boat and she got all wet . I don't think it was on purpose. It sounded like they had a good time unlike the last time they were on the boat about 3 years ago.
That sums up the weekend. More food, more wine sent them out the door at 10:00 a.m. Sun. and then we went to Easter service. Normally I sing at Mass on Sun. evening but our church decided not to have an evening mass on Easter Sun. So I got a rare Sunday experience with my family and celebrated Christ's Resurection with Dave and Adeena. Allelulia!
Julia is still in England and comes home on May 18th. She likes England alot I guess and is planning on returning this summer provided she can get a work permit. Her boyfriend Lee's football season ends the 4th of May and is planning on coming to the U.S. with her. He's a likable lad and I can see why she is smitten.
Well I guess that's all for now. More later.
Deb