Happy Birthday Mom!

SHE dwelt among the untrodden ways
Beside the springs of Dove,
A Maid whom there were none to praise
And very few to love:

A violet by a mossy stone
Half hidden from the eye!
--Fair as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky.

She lived unknown, and few could know
When Lucy ceased to be...

These lines are from my Mom's favorite poem by William Wordsworth. As a little girl, Mom lived in the mountains of Pennsylvania. You may have guessed, I was named after her...and she taught me to love the trees, the wildflowers and the babbling brook. Even though I was raised in the "burbs" I learned to love nature because of her. I'm guessing Mom's love for the plants, the trees and everything wild has much to do with her Native American roots.

Over the years, whenever we visited a garden or nature center, Mom would tell me about the jack-in-the pulpits, the May Apples etc. and how she grew up surrounded by their beauty. She would point out the different trees and I learned how to recognize them too, all the different species. The white oaks, the dogwoods, the red buds...the birch and beech and maples.

Eventually when I had a wooded lot of my own back in Maryland, I was able to name most of the trees and wildfowers, all from Mom's descriptions. Once, I even found a wild Ladies Slipper growing along the pond and knew right away what it was because Mom used to talk about finding them in the mountains as a kid. I grew to love the beautiful but simple things in life, the mossy stone, the humingbird building it's nest. These are but just a few of the good things I learned from my Mom. Happy Birthday Mommy. I wish I could be there to help you celebrate!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Pop! I know you read my blog first thing every morning, so I wanted to be the first to wish you a Happy Father's Day. You are such a great Dad! And I wish I could be there to help you celebrate. I promise to make it up to you and Mom in a few weeks. We will celebrate both Father's Day and Mom's birthday together.

I'm guessing that Kyle, Danny and Randy are feeling a bit funky today. It's their first Father's Day without their Dad. It feels weird for me too and I'm trying to stay positive even though it's difficult. Instead of feeling blue, I am focusing on what a great Dad Kenny was and how lucky my boys are that he was their father.

Our boys were always a priority for Ken even though he was very ill. I have great memories of the times he spent with them and certain images stand out for me. Like the times he would referee their socker games, running those sidelines while blowing that whistle! I remember thinking how amazing Kenny was to be running up and down that field even though he was exhausted and didn't feel well. But he did it just the same...for them. And the odd part for me is that there were other fathers who didn't even show up for the games, let alone volunteer to referee for their sons.

I also remember Kenny getting up at the crack of dawn to take the boys to their early morning hockey games. Sometimes they drove as far as an hour or so away. Still he would stand out in that freezing cold rink and run the time clock for them. In between plays he kept shoving his hands in his pockets to keep them warm! Ken was so thin that he didn't tolerate the cold well...but he did it just the same...for our guys.

And how about all those fishing trips? I'm so glad he was able to take our boys on a special fishing vacation in Canada. He took them individually...one each year. So they will each have their own special memories of a week fishing with their Dad just the two of them in Kenny's boat on that beautiful lake in Canada.

No doubt my boys' fathering skills have been shaped by their Dad. I will enjoy watching all of them with their own children some day and I'll be able to reflect back and remember Kenny. In fact, Kyle is already getting practice as a Dad. His fiance Jessica has a dear little daughter Chloe. She came into our lives when she was just two.

Chloe is now a busy little five year old and I've had the joy of watching Kyle interact with her as a father. He is amazingly patient with our dear Chloe. He is such a good Dad and Chloe is crazy about him.

She calls him her "big cuddly teddy bear." Just look at these photos of Kyle and Chloe together.

My favorite is the "Chloe booger nose" photo.Yep, Kyle sure is a good Dad! And I'm sure Danny and Randy will be too.

Kyle and Chloe Baking Cookies Just look at these photos...they tell it all!

Even though it's a bit of a melancholy day today...it's a good one just the same. I'm lucky and proud that I chose such an amazing man to be the father of my three sons. I'm also very lucky to be able to see a little bit of Kenny in each of them. Yes I'm very lucky and very proud! Happy Father's Day to all!

The Smokey Mountains

Today a friend and I drove to Fletcher, North Carolina. The mountains here are beautiful! They are much different from Seattle, but beautiful just the same. I can see why so many people choose to retire in this area near the Smokey Mountains.

Tomorrow evening is the T Bone Burnett, Robert Plant, and Alison Krauss concert in nearby Asheville. We plan to check out the downtown area before the concert. Apparently it's a real artsy fartsy kind of town...right up my alley. This evening we ate dinner in a cute little cafe. When I saw the waitresses's tee shirts, I just had to buy one for myself. It reads: "It's always a Sunny Day at the Blue Sky Cafe." Perfect!

Moving Right Along

This is the last day of my week. I've taken tomorrow off and Monday too. The timing isn't the best, but I had planned several months ago to see Robert Plant and Alison Krauss in concert and I'm driving to Asheville. The last concert I attended was back in Maryland...5 years ago...Bonnie Raitt and Lyle Lovett. Kenny had surprised me with tickets for my birthday. That one was great! I've heard this one will be too!

Work today will be rushed as usual. I have way more things to accomplish than hours to do it in and I'll be picking up a friend at the airport later after work. So...I'll be pacing myself all day to leave at a specific time. Rush, rush, rush. I'm leaving now to get to the office!

Have a good one!

Pay It Forward

I had a great conversation this afternoon with my secretary. I was fortunate this week to be able to select her for an analyst position. She came out of the panel interviews as the #1 recommendation. So I trusted the panelists' advice! It gave me great pleasure yesterday to tell her that she is moving on. She was ecstatic and thanked me profusely.

At the end of the day today we had a long conversation about our experiences and yes, she's one smart cookie! Her life has shaped her well beyond her years! She's had a few tough knocks along the way, but has refused to let it get to her. She presses forward and has "determination and persistence" down!

No doubt I will look back some day on all that she is bound to accomplish. I expect that eventually she will be one of my peers...or better! The cream always rises to the top and it will be fun watching this one soar!!!

Being a front-line supervisor is mostly challenging...but this is one of the rewards of the job. And the best part is that I know this bright, positive, talented and charming young woman will also pay it forward...

Dinner with Rhonda

Just got back home from dinner with Rhonda. Wow, she is such a good friend! Rhonda has gotten me through the worst year of my life. What would I have done without her?

Once when I was on my way home from work...tornadoes were spawning all around and I was racing to get home to safety. I have to admit, I was feeling kinda low...because I was missing that phone call from Kenny saying, "Luce, where are you? The weather is really bad, you need to get home!" Right in the middle of that thought...Rhonda called me..."She said Lucy, where are you? Are you on your way home?" Yeah, you got it...I burst into tears. I said, "Wow! Rhonda, thank you for calling me. It's nice to have someone checking up on me. I'm missing Kenny."

Well that's how it's been with Rhonda. She has been there for me like clockwork. I can't wait to introduce her to my family and my friends. They will love her...just as much as I do!!!!!

A Great Clip To Start Your Day

Here's a great clip to start your day:"The Secret To You." Make it a great one!

Catfood Disaster!

Wow! This morning stopped me in my tracks. Everything was going pretty much as usual. As I dashed around to get ready, I stopped to pour food into Jazz's bowl. And Good Grief! The lid of the container popped off and a gallon of cat food went all over my laundry room! I quickly grabbed the broom to sweep it up...and dag, my darling cat came in and decided to plant his furry little body right in the middle of the mess! "JAZZ! It would be a whole lot easier if you would get out of the way!!," I mumbled...mostly to myself.

So now the next thing I will do before ANYTHING else...is pray about my day. I keep forgetting to start my morning in prayer...and this little escapade seems to be God's way of reminding me!

By the way when I clicked on my computer an article at MSN Career Builder caught my eye and made me chuckle:10 Best Excuses for Calling in Sick. Do you think "I had a cat food disaster!" would work? It's a great article check it out. Haven't learned how to make a link, so you'll have to cut and past this long URL: http://msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/careeradvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1246&SiteId=cbmsnhp41246&sc_extcmp=JS_1246_home1>1=23000&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=dc733ec2832e452b8de92fcc3f32e9d3-266393019-RN-4

Persistence and Determination

"Nothing has come easy for me," said my friend Tony, "I've had to work hard for everything in life. It's all about a person's determination, " he explained. "I agree," I said, "Nothing has come easy for me either and I don't think I'm brilliant or anything...but I sure am persistent." Tony and I both believe it's all about persistence and determination. At least that's what our lives have taught us. He shared examples from his experience and I from mine. That was easy! I've got a million stories to share with anyone willing to listen!

And sure enough, today started out OK at work. When I got to the office I jotted down about ten things I needed to accomplish. But as typical, it ended up being a kick "bottom" kind of day. By day's end, I looked at my list and I had only checked off three things. And one of them my secretary actually did for me. So...that means I'm starting my day tomorrow in the red. And I'm feeling a bit of pressure. There is still no replacement for me at my current job and I was hoping to begin handing things off by now and getting the new person up to speed. That also leaves me little time to make all the necessary arrangements etc. to prepare for my new assignment.

My office is a mess. I've been slogging things home little by little. Hauled home some books today...many more to go. But unfortunately the deadlines and meetings with my employees etc. continue to move at a fast clip. It's hard to squeeze out anything extra from my day.

So I stayed late tonight and as I turned off the lights, just before shutting my door...I saw this quote tucked into the glass of my bookcase. It's something I put there a few months ago and it underscores my conversation with Tony.

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved, and always will solve, the problems of the human race..." Calvin Coolidge

So thanks Calvin, I'll simply press on. That's what I'll keep on doing!

The Pain Is Alway's There...

I met a colleague this week in Seattle. I was surprised to hear she is a widow too. And even though she has been remarried nine years, she choked up when she told me her story. Her husband died of cancer when he was just in his early 30's. "We have two sons. They were five and seven when their father died," she said. And that's when she started to cry. Even though she is now remarried, turning back the clock to remember...and revisiting the experience...is still painful.

"My boys are grown up now, but they were so young when he died, they barely remember their father," she told me. That's when I started to cry too. My tears were for her and her children. How very, very sad. It's what I had always feared, that I would lose Kenny while the boys were still little. And now, after feeling the pain of living without him, I've often thought of widows like this dear woman...who have been left behind with little ones still at home. "I know how hard this grieving has been for me," I told her, "I can't imagine what it was like for you trying to raise your boys...while having to cope with this grief."

I know I am lucky that my sons were able to grow up before their father died. They really got to know him; they formed a great bond with their Dad. They will always remember Kenny and will have stories to tell their children.

As this new friend and I sat there in the hotel lounge sharing our memories, I was struck by the knowledge that regardless of how much time passes, no matter how well a person rebuilds their life after loss...the pain is always there. So perhaps the tears were for me as well... Yes, she and I...the two of us, had been casually chatting in that hotel lounge just minutes before. Without a care in the world... Laughing and joking and clicking our drinks...when suddenly...in the beating of two tender hearts...our happiness faded into sorrow.

Good Morning!

I woke this morning to Jazz patting my face. I guess he decided it was time to get up...at 7:15! I've had my coffee and am getting ready to launch into some work. I plan on cleaning out some closets etc. I'm determined to pare down all the extraneous "stuff" I've collected the last few years. Other than that for today? I'm not quite sure what else I will do. Who knows?

Dinner Was Great!

We ate dinner in a cute little restaurant in the Highland Park area of Atlanta. I had fried catfish over a tomato salsa. Creme brulee for dessert! The food was great and so was the decor. Old brick walls, faux painting, etc. Charming! We also went to another quaint restaurant a few blocks from the first and met a couple for drinks. Cute friendly, "youngish" couple in their thirties. She is a realtor and he buys and sells start up companies..something like that. Not sure I quite got it...but it sounded interesting. He travels all over the world, works from home; sounds like a plum job for a guy in his thirties!

My dinner date builds custom homes in the same area of Atlanta--Highland Park/Inman Park. He has built many of the new homes in Highland Park. According to the restaurant owner, my friend has left his "mark" all over the neighborhood. What a legacy! The houses are very cool looking bungalows, much like old Craftsman homes, except these are brand new...just made to look old. The neighborhoods in this area of downtown Atlanta are sweet!! They are tree-lined with interesting homes nestled into a park-like setting. How cool would it be to live in Highland Park?? You could just walk to dinner on a Saturday night. What an awesome neighborhood!!

I'm sitting here now with Jazz on my lap. What a cat! What a cat... Gonna tuck myself in now. It's well past my bedtime.

A Few More Photos of Seattle...

Now that I'm home I decided to share a few more photos of my fabulous trip with Dan! These pretty much capture the week! From the beautiful scenery to great moments with my son. What a fun trip!

These photos capture a fun night out with my co-workers! Yes, Mark and I were pretending to be sleeping! Not sure what prompted that. Just goofin'! As you can see, we couldn't quite get the smiles off our faces! And yes, Mike ate that huge piece of cake! How does he stay so fit? Who knows...he eats like crazy!!!

I will sure look forward to more trips like this one!

The Secret...Manifest What You Want!

I had a great conversation this morning with Libby. I told her about my week in Seattle and that I'm feeling like things are looking up for me. "I've got a great new work assignment, I'll get to hang out with my friends and family and I'm really getting to know my neighbor Conda...and she is fabulous!" I told her. "I can just feel it in my bones that things are going to start going well for me from now on. "

We wrapped up our phone call and I got busy. First I unpacked and did some laundry. Then I went through my magazines and put a bunch of them in a bag to donate. I've got a bit of a "magazine addiction" and I've decided it's time to try and break that habit. I also grabbed a huge bag of clothes and put it in the back of my car. Before I left for Seattle I had tackled Kenny's closet. Yes, I finally started the tough ritual of sorting through his clothes. Still couldn't part with most of his shirts...but did let go of a lot of pants and jeans. One step at a time. At any rate, I took the bag with me this morning to the local woman's charity. I dropped off the donation and low and behold there was a hair salon right next door, so I gave them my bag-full of magazines. They were especially thrilled to get the old fishing magazines. Said that guys are always complaining about not having anything for them to read.

Next stop, nail salon. I got a quick manicure and while I was there a customer said the State Farm around the corner was having a cookout. Free hot dogs and drinks! You guessed it, I stopped there next and also learned that the auto glass place was fixing windshields today...for free. Coincidentally it's one of the things I had on my list to do today. I moved my car over there and in a matter of about 15 minutes, the rock hole in my windshield was fixed. Good as new! Now that's when I finally started thinking...positive manifestation!! Think of what you want and need and focus on that...and bingo! I called Libby and told her about my day. She couldn't believe it.

The rest of the afternoon--I will continue to work around the house to get things in order here. And later I have a dinner date downtown...it's a "blind date." I am also manifesting that one as well: kind, generous, smart, engaging, financially sound, handsome, considerate, happy, adventurous!! I'll let you know tomorrow how that worked for me! Wish me luck!

And one last thing...some may think dating is a bit too soon for me. It's been nearly a year since Kenny died. And I've come to the conclusion that as much as I would will him back today...if I possibly could...I know that's impossible. And what I also know is what I learned from Kenny...that life is precious and continues to tick away for us all. We must enjoy every single day as a gift not to be wasted. One of the last very sweet things Kenny said to me before he died is "Lucy I want you to go on and enjoy your life." So with Ken's blessing even though it's hard, that's what I intend to do. I simply don't do "lonely" well...

Happy Birthday Tony!

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Jazz Missed Me!

Finally got home a little while ago and Jazz came running to greet me. I picked up that little guy and carried him all over the house. He was not in any hurry for me to put him down. In fact he cuddled right up in my arms. He missed me!

It was a long trip back from Seattle. I was in the center seat again, not ideal for such a long flight. But I made the best of it. Several times I nearly ended up with my head on the shoulder of the man next to me. I kept falling asleep and I would loose my head. Ha! Now that's funny!

It's always a little weird to get home when I've been surrounded by people every day and every evening. It's a bit of a downer to walk into an empty house...still not used to it. Sorry Jazz, I suppose it's not entirely empty now is it?

I had dinner earlier on the plane. It was one of those tidy little box meals for $5. And...it was surprisingly good for that price. Little can of tuna and crackers, small slice of cheese, tiny jar of humous with pita chips, little bite of chocolate. And I treated myself to one of those little bottles of red wine. What more could one want? So, I'm not really hungry and I'll probably just go and watch a little T.V., try to unwind, and call it a night. It's time to give myself a break... Tomorrow will have to be a very busy day to make up for being gone all week. I think I'll even wait until morning to unpack. I'm bushed!!!

Still in Seattle...

Running to my meeting. Things are going well. Went to dinner last night with about 15 people. Had a lot of fun...ate too much. Will have to watch it when I get back home. Hey, by the way what IS home? I'm not sure at this point!!

My flight leaves early in the AM...at 7. Brutal! I think I will return my rental car tonight so I don't have to fight that battle at such an early hour. At any rate, I'm on the downhill stretch now. It's been a good week; made some new friends, which is ALWAYS a good thing. Even got to know some of the folks I will be associated with on that new assignment. May even have an interesting ad-hoc "collateral duty" assignment to work as well...doing communications! Just my cup of tea. Things are looking up!

Oh and Dan got home safe and sound! Thank goodness!

He is on his way back to LA...

I dropped Dan off at the airport and headed back to the hotel. Yes, I got lost! Crazy, I know. We've been tooling around for days, I should know my way around Seattle by now, but I was used to having a navigator. And how silly that the airport is only a few exits from the hotel!! Who knows what I did...but I sure took the scenic route home.

I'm pretty tired now. It's been a long day...but gosh I enjoyed the week. Before heading to the airport, Dan and I had dinner with work friends. As it turns out my friend Jackie could not make it, but we met two colleagues of mine, Lynda and Lori, at Cheesecake Factory. And...well needless to say, Dan kept them entertained over dinner. He now has two new Mom's, one on the West Coast, the other in the South Central U.S.--Texas to be exact!

Since they both insisted on being his new Mom's...he insisted on convincing them to buy him a new car!! Well at least he gave it a good try. "I want a BMW 300 series, leather interior, navigation system, MP3 player...and all the options." he told them. "And it would be a real deal if you split the cost three ways!" Ha, ha, ha!!! His three Mom's got a big kick out of that one! We nearly fell out of our chairs laughing. What a charmer, my Dan!

Dan's last day...

I'm up early, ready for work and getting ready to head downstairs to my meeting. Dan was up much later and so he is sleeping in a bit. Today is his last day here and he plans on just hanging out in the hotel while I'm at work. But he will join me for lunch and later this evening we are going with friends for one last hurrah!

My blogging the next several days may grind to a halt because I've been using Danny's computer. Can't blog from my blackberry and I didn't bring my laptop along. I may be able to run downstairs to use the lobby computer. We will see.

Gotta go now and grab breakfast before my day gets going...

Really S-e-e-ing Seattle...

"You just can't beat this 360 degree view of Seattle," I smiled as we looked out from the top of the Space Needle. Dan and I had ventured downtown today after my meetings were over. We even took advantage of the little bit warmer weather by folding down the rag top of the rental car for that breezy ride up the 405. The agent had been nice enough to throw in a convertible for free. And although it's still a little brisk here for a convertible it's well worth the chill. Nothing beats tooling around sightseeing with an unobstructed view.

We got downtown before five and started our tour at Pike's Market where they sell fish...and throw the slippery smelly things to the customers! It's part of the attraction and draws a crowd of camera-happy people. Dan and me included!

Next we maneuvered our way through the interesting crowd of people to get to the monorail. We were both surprised to see so many transients on the streets of this beautiful city. There is an overabundance of street urchins...and strangely dressed characters who honestly appear to either be strung out or burned out on drugs. You would think the cold winters would prevent such a crowd from hanging here. It left us feeling a little odd about this city...

Nevertheless, we hurried along and jumped on the monorail for short sky ride to the Space Needle. And we ate dinner at the very top in the revolving restaurant. It has the best view imaginable of Seattle. We could see the snow-capped peak of Mt. Rainier just behind the high rises of downtown. Wow! Mt. Rainier proudly looms above the sky scraper skyline!! What a juxtaposition! Pure, natural, pristine mother nature...against modern, contrived, steel and glass. Interesting...a very interesting combination.

Seattle is surrounded by water so as we enjoyed our meal we watched the sky planes fly in and out of one of the many harbors. We also saw a few shipping freighters maneuver the waters and an occasional sailboat here and there. The inlets were surprisingly empty this time of year, but that's because it's still a bit chilly here. As the weather warms up I'm guessing a frenzy of boats will fill the waters around the city.

"Good grief, where did we park our car!" After dinner Dan and I headed back to find our car and had to walk in and out of several garages...before we finally found the right one. The buildings downtown tend to all meld together and look the same, especially when you're tired from walking and ready to get back and crash. "I'm glad you are with me," I said to Dan. I would sure hate to be lost here all by myself.

We finally found our rental car and arrived at the hotel about eight PM to find a few work friends sitting in the lobby lounge talking over drinks. We stopped for introductions... Yes, I wanted every one to meet my Danny. We talked with them a bit and then headed back to our room to finish up our day and get ready for the early morning.

After work tomorrow we are joining my colleague Lori and an old friend Jackie for dinner. It will be Dan's last night here...and boy I will hate to see him leave. He has been a fun traveling companion the last several days.

Just Pinch Me!

Mt. Rainier...oh my gosh!! How do I describe it? There is only one word-- "breathtaking!" It's simply breathtaking! Dan and I had such a fabulous day today. We got up at a decent hour and had breakfast at the hotel. Eggs Benedict for me; ham and cheese omelet for Dan. Then we set off for the hour plus drive to Mt. Rainier.

Once we got there we spent about three or four hours taking in the landscape of this misty, cloud-filled beauty! We drove a little, stopped a little, hiked a little and snapped endless photos. Every square inch of this National Park is awesome.

From the majestic Douglass Firs, the air- filled mist, and non-stop waterfalls...to the moss, the rocks, the streams and the snow-capped peaks.

We even saw an elk quietly grazing by the roadside. We passed her by with a glance, but turned the car around to go back for a better look. She wasn't the least bit worried about us. In fact, she seemed just as curious about Dan and me as we were about her. Double click on this photo to see her a little more closely.

Our destination was Paradise Pass. But in reality paradise was found the moment we were greeted by the park ranger at the entrance to the park. We snaked our way up the mountainside...stopping at overlook upon overlook. Once we finally made it to the visitor's center, the mist was so thick we couldn't see much of the local scenery. But the snow was banked up around the building...in striated layers at least ten feet high. And the temperature...b-r-r-r-r-g-h !

It's hard to believe this is June. It was easily in the high forties today. Warm enough NOT to snow, but cold enough that it sure felt like it could! With the persistent cloud cover we never did get a glimpse of the very peak of the mountain. But no matter...the drive just getting there was spectacular!

The displays at the visitor's center showed photos of Mt. Rainier from the early 1900's when the mountain was a draw for folks vacationing via some of the first automobiles. Those old photos were really something. One showed a line of those old open-topped cars precariously traversing the side of the mountain. Can you imagine?

There were no guard rails back then, nor paving, and the roads were only one lane wide. I'm not sure I could have stomached sight-seeing the mountain under those conditions. It was treacherous. The displays also reminded us that Mt. Rainier is a volcano...and a dangerous one. There hasn't been an eruption in more than a century, but that just means it's about time. The question is not "IF" it erupts, but more like "WHEN" it erupts. The devastation from a major eruption could reach as far as 40 miles from the center. Yeah, Dan and I shivered a little about that one...

Toward evening we started back to the hotel. We faced another long drive and we were getting hungry and tired. The day had flown by and we had not even given lunch a thought. By the time we realized it, we were both starving! So...we were in a hurry to eat. We finally reached the hotel about 6:30 and walked over to the Outback.

All we wanted after a long day of driving and hiking, was fast service and a juicy steak. Well and for me...a Marguerita! We ate dinner and we talked and talked. Surprisingly after two days together, Dan and I hadn't run out of things to say to each other. After dinner we walked over to the mall. I needed to get some stockings for work and Dan picked up a pair of hiking shoes. I also grabbed a pair of heels and laughed when I discovered the name on the side of the shoebox: Lucy. Dan and I both got a kick out of that one.

Now we are back at the hotel. Dan is on the phone talking with a friend from LA and here I am blogging again. So let me repeat what I've said here before--Life is Good!

Pretend you were there too!

Just click on the triangle beneath the photo to see and hear the falls!

Here's Another...

Just click on the triangle beneath the photo to see and hear the roaring river!

Snoqualmie Falls

Seattle is awesome! Dan and I joined up at Seatac airport a little after noon today. We picked up the car, checked into the hotel and hit the road to find Snoqualmie Falls. It was just a short distance, about 30 minutes or so north from the hotel and was well worth the drive.

First we stopped at the overlook and took in the breathtaking birds-eye view of this impressive waterfall. Thank goodness I had changed into my tennis shoes before leaving the hotel, because we we walked down the winding river trail all the way to the bottom of the gorge for another view of the falls. It was rocky, steep and wet with the misty over spray. And Cold! It's quite different here from the sizzling weather I just left back East.

The trail to the riverside is dark and mystical. It's lushly lined with tall ferns and huge old moss-draped Cedars and Douglas Firs. And the Rhododendrons are in bloom. Several large spectacular displays of dusty pink and hot scarlet jumped out at us as we passed by the visitor center.

The two of us snapped photos here and there along the way and when we reached the bottom of the gorge, we stood there for quite a while just taking in the scene and the sound of it. Boy, the walk back up was a real huffer puffer; we were glad when we finally reached the top by the visitor center again. By the time we did, Dan and I were pretty hungry because we hadn't bothered to stop for lunch all day. We decided it was finally time to grab something to eat. But unfortunately the restaurant next to the falls was hosting a wedding so it was closed to the public. That was too bad because we sure would have had an amazing view while we enjoyed our meal.

Instead we climbed into our car and headed back into the small town of Snoqualmie. It's a sweet little old town, right out of a picture book. The main street is lined with buildings on one side and a graveyard of old rusted train cars on the other...with the mountain as it's backdrop.

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We stumbled on a little Italian restaurant with authentic AND DELICIOUS food. I even had a nice glass of wine. And they seated us near the window, so we had an amazing view after all! Instead of a scene of the falls over dinner, we enjoyed the magnificence of that giant purplish blue peak of a mountain!

Finally Finished Packing for Seattle!

Now I'm trying to decide whether to go to bed or just stay up. I have to leave the house at 4:30 AM...that's only a few hours away. I think I will go take a two hour cat nap...if I can even get to sleep. I'm so excited.

This is a picture of Danny a few years ago. I know...yes he is...handsome!! Can't wait to see him.

"Dan-Dan the Movie Man" here I come!!!

Love you! MOM

There Have Been Angels In My Life...

While they haven't arrived with a blast of trumpets or a rustle of wings, I've known them just the same. They performed their acts in human guise, sometimes borrowing the faces of family and friends, sometimes posing as well-meaning strangers.

You have known them, too, when just the right word was needed, when a tiny act of kindness made a great difference...or perhaps you heard a voice whispering in the night of sorrow, the words not quite clear, but the meaning unmistakable...
"There is hope...There is hope".

-Author Unknown

Rushing Again!

I'll probably be constantly rushing around for the next several weeks as I prepare for the new assignment. I stopped and grabbed some dinner on the way home from work, then went for a manicure and pedicure. I know...it should not be a priority right now...but it sure was nice!! You know, it's that girl-girl thing again.

Got home and went through some more mail. The battle of the junk mail is starting to get to me. I just can't seem to stay ahead of it all. And now I'm hauling things in from my office too, so I have little piles of stuff here, there and everywhere!

A little while ago I got a call from my neighbor Conda. Her husband is out of town and she wanted me to join her for dinner tomorrow night, but I've already got plans to go to a wine tasting dinner with friends from work. I felt bad turning her down; she is so nice. I'm just getting to know her, but what a cool neighbor she is. And her husband is very nice too. It sure gives me mixed emotions about my future decisions to be made...

My neighbors on both sides of me are like book-ends...they are both here to hold me up! Fabulous people...simply fabulous!! So if I ever decide to head home for good...perhaps I can take them and a half dozen other folks with me. I would want to take along all the people who have extended me a helping hand this year. And you know who you are!! H-m-m-m, that should be possible, I'll just pack every one of you up and take you along! Yep! Sounds like a plan!!

One More Thing...

I'm so excited! I just got an e-mail from an old High School friend. I signed up the other day on my high school alumni page and sure enough an old girlfriend, Debbie Joyce, contacted me. I used to date her brother Bill in high school. Debbie lives in Belleville, Illinois and has a son living here in GA. So, who knows maybe I'll get to see her. And with any luck she will be going to the reunion this summer back home. I will be there too, so I hope to see a bunch of old friends.

I also got an e-mail from my dear friend Mary. She is a widow too. Her husband Fred and Kenny were roomates when we met at 19. It was quite a shock to us when Fred died suddenly four and a half years ago...and now Kenny has joined him. So Mary and I are widows together. How strange. We will always have a special connection because of two very special guys. And well, I just hope those guys are laughing and hooping it up...in heaven. No doubt!!

Mary, just wrote a long note to me about all her escapades getting her bathroom remodeled. It's been a bit of a challenge. And then she told me a funny story about doing some car maintenance too. Yes...sorry to say...there are just some things that women are not cut out to do. Just as truly as there are others that men should steer clear from too! It's just the way it is... No, not a bra-burner here!!!! I like mine just fine thank you. And I also enjoy someone holding the door for me and telling me I'm beautiful. Yep, I've always been a girly girl!

I also just talked with my friend Marti. They are having a baby shower for her son and daughter in law. Unfortunately I won't be home in time to go, but I WILL be home when their baby is born!! Her son Graeme is Kyle's best friend...so of course Graeme feels just like one of my own. The baby's name is going to be Jack!! That was Kenny's favorite and he would have loved to have had a grandson named Jack. So...how appropriate. Graeme probably doesn't even know that yet, but I will be sure to tell him when I see him next!

One more thing...I just got off the phone with Dan. He is meeting me next week in Seattle. I have to go there for training and Seattle is just a few hours from LA. So, I am flying out early on Saturday and Dan is meeting me there. We plan to go to Mt. Rainier on Sunday. I am so exited about it and so is Dan. He will stay with me until Wednesday and then he has to get back to work. It was supposed to be a slow spell for him in June, but work is now picking right back up. I suppose that's a good thing. Dan has worked on so many movies this year...I'm very proud of him. The next to be released is Incredible Hulk. How INCREDIBLE that Dan got to do the special effects for a character that was a big deal when he was a just little boy! The movie comes out June 13th. Go see it, and be sure to stay long enough to see my Dan's name scroll up through the movie credits!! Yeah! Let's just say...I'm a very PROUD Mom!! I've got three of the best sons any Mom could have.
Yes Alex, Life is Good!

Start My Day in Prayer...

I should know by now that I must ALWAYS start my day in prayer! I did this morning and sure enough it went very, very well. I asked for guidance, a smooth day and continued direction for sorting out my life. Not surprisingly, today was much better than yesterday. It was a busy day, but bing, bing, bing, things went just like clockwork. I clicked off the tasks one by one. I got a hold of OKCity and got information on my final relocation reimbursements. Some of that was still outstanding... And some other things got cleared up as well. I also started cleaning out my office because someone will be using it while I'm on my temporary assignment. Got my air card and VPN ordered for my lap top. It should all be ready to go in a couple weeks.

One of the highlights of my day was when one of our secretaries came in to talk with me. She and I have connected over the last several weeks and I offerred to give her "Lucy's advice on career advancement." You see, what most people don't know today is that I started my federal career as a secretary. And with that experience...I have my own perspective on what it takes to move ahead. I also know what a difficult and thankless job it can be. Secretaries are often treated unfairly, they frequently serve several bosses...and each one expects to be considered their #1 priority. She and I sat and talked for quite a while and I told her what had worked well for me over the years to get ahead. She is just a dear. She has a great attitude, has worked her way through college and has even worked two jobs at times to be able to provide for herself and her son. I know with some encouragement and advice the world for her, is open to possibilities! Before she went back to her desk, I gave her the plaque off my wall. It has words to live by. I'm sure she will keep it always and remember me.


Painting below: After the Hurricane

At the end of the day, I was carrying my paintings out of my office, and several people stopped and commented on them. And it just continues to reinforce that I need to figure out how to make creativity a part of my life. I think I will start to pray on that too!


Yes all in all, today was a great day. So...guess how I plan to start my day tomorrow??

Too Tired...

Wow, it's one of those "too tired to blog" days. Can't quite put my finger on it, but it wasn't the greatest of days at work today. So much to do, so little time. Do you ever feel so tired that you just can't muster up any energy anymore? That's how I feel right now.

This grieving thing continues to be unpredictable and more difficult than one can imagine. When I got home from work I thought about Kenny and how he would be so sad that this has been so hard on me. He would never have wanted his death to have had such a negative impact...how sad. Somehow for his sake, I have to continue to push my way through it.

Memorial to Kenny: The Dance

Garth Brook's song The Dance was one of Kenny's favorites. I remember him listening it to it once...with tears gently falling from his eyes. Then suddenly he shook both fists above his head in a victory stance and shouted, "I'm the King!" Obviously the words to this song spoke to how he felt about his own life. That was just after his first...or was it his second liver transplant?? I do know for sure it was well before his third...

Over the years...we danced more than once to this beautiful song...And just like Kenny, I could have missed the pain but I'd a had to miss the dance.

Now click on the arrow in the screen below; you will want to hear Garth Brook's touching memorial rendition of The Dance.

Garth Brooks The Dance Musicvia Noolmusic.com