December update

It seems that everyone in the family has gotten out of the blogging spirit and maybe that's not a bad thing. Do we really want the entire world to know all of our business? But I'm also tired of looking at me with the Halloween mask on so I'm going to blog for the sake of moving that post a little further down the totem pole.

Life has been busy the last couple months and the clock is certainly winding down on those last minute projects I thought I'd get done before Christmas. I guess they'll remain on the list so I have something to do after the holidays are over. Ginger is flying in on Thurs. and Kyla & Allie drive home Fri. night after work. Jeannie tells me they will all be home for 10 days so that should be interesting. We will all have to take an oath of patience and tolerence, I'm sure we'll need it. I am excited for everbody to be together again. Hopefully we can do lots of stuff together as a family again. I'm also looking forward to whipping up monster meals, carb-laden comfort food that we ate so much of when the kids were little. Better get back to work!

Haloween 2007

We had a fun night tonight. We sat out on the porch and scared the little kids when they came up to the door. At first they thought Greg was fake. Then when they went to get candy from the pumpkin he snarled at them. It was really nice outside and we had it all lit up with pumpkins and candles. I was a clown. Trick or Treat!

Facebook | My Photos – Trip to Washington DC

Facebook | My Photos – Trip to Washington DC
Check out some photos of our trip. We had such a nice time.

Washington DC Adventure

Facebook | Ginger Ammon's Photos – Grandma, Grandpa, Mom and Dad come for a visit
We had a great time. Here we are at the Georgetown wharf, just getting ready to sit down for cocktails before dinner. We ate at a nice restaurant with live music. The seafood was great.

Our Autumn Vacation

It seems like a long time since I've blogged and it has been a while but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy, just too busy to write.

It all started last spring. I won't go into all the details for that is another story but let's just say that that story ends with me buying airline tickets for Jeannie, myself and Grandma & Grandpa Ammon to Washington, DC in the fall to visit Ginger, then rent a car and drive to New England to see the autumn foliage. Sounds like a good plan but a long time in the future so I kinda forget about it.

Suddenly fast forward 6 months and it's a week before we leave and now it seems imminent and very real. Of course, there is always work to take care of before we leave and as always, gets really busy right up to takeoff. Finally, it's the night before, G & G are here spending the night before our early flight out of SF. We arrive in DC after lunch and pick up our van. We plug Ginger's address into Grandpa's GPS and there we are. Considering that Grandma had never flown before, this was a major accomplishment in itself.

There are many stories to be told about traveling on an automobile trip with your parents, especially if you are in fact not 6 yrs old. I won't bore you all with the stories, most of which were the you had to be there variety but still pretty darn funny. I will say that we left DC and veered west. We passed through PA and into NY, hitting both the Catskill and Adirondack Mts. We spent 2 nights in VT, where I saw every LL Bean Special Edition Subaru AWD Outback wagon ever made. I am not kidding, at least every other car on the road in VT is a Subaru. It is bizarre and kind of frightening in a neo-hippy, eco-friendly tree- hugger sort of way. Also discovered in VT that bumper stickers are making a huge come-back. ("What if they had a war and nobody came." "Impeach him now!") You get the idea. When we crossed the state line into New Hampshire it was as if everyone in the van took a huge breath as though we'd been unconsciously holding our breath while passing through this foreign land. New Hampshire was much more to my liking though at the time I didn't know why, it just had a better vibe. Later Ginger told me that NH is a haven for people with Libertarian leanings. I don't agree with their entire philosophy but I will embrace the smaller government aspect of it. But I digress.

After finally finding peak color in the White Mts of NH, we head east and hit the coast at Portsmouth, NH. Now it's time for the Dreaded Drive Down I-95. I did Portsmouth, Boston and NYC in one day, slept good that night! We rolled back into DC in time to do some more sight-seeing there (we'd already done some before we left). Ginger graciously offered us the use of the beds in her apt. while she took the floor. She also arranged reservations at some of the areas best restaurants. It was a memorable trip that we all enjoyed. It was better than a trip, it was an adventure.

Tony the Tiger

So here he is Tony Tiger. He was quite a hit with the kids. Tony kicked up his heels, wove back and forth across the street giving high 5's, and hugged all his fans along the way. Afterwards he took a nap.

A Challenge

I am starting a new journaling technique and I would like to challenge anyone out there to join me. I am writing down the answer to this question: What five seemingly insignificant little things made me happy today? I'll give you one of mine: Putting on a pair of black knit gloves with gripper spots on the palms. Get the drift? Really little things that give you a happy feeling. Let me know what you come up with if you don't mind sharing a thing or two.

Homecoming

Today is Homecoming so we have to participate with our LandMark Realty entry, right? The theme was commercials which is pretty broad. We chose Kellogs Frosted Flakes. I kinda volunteered to be Tony the Tiger which pert near killed me. We just got back and I am drenched with sweat. Who knew Tony had to race up and down the street, back and forth, giving high fives, doing little acrobatic stunts all the while roaring "Quarriers are gggggreat!" All I'm sayin' is, you try doing that for 6 blocks sometime. In a tiger costume.

Important Birth Announcement

Welcome to Mr. Wyatt D. Baumberger. Born 9/4/07 @ 3 pm. 7 lbs 2 oz. Proud parents are Julie & Pete "the bomb" Baumberger of Dell Rapids. Young Wyatt will be spending some time in the ICU due to complications from pneumonia but should be fine. Thank you to the Baumberger family for this lasting tribute to our Wyatt's memory. May he live on in our hearts forever.

I'm buying a cow

Today I went to the store to buy milk because Tuesday is "cheap" milk day. I grabbed a gallon jug and headed for the checkouts. "$4.56" she requested. After clutching at my chest and staggering around she informed me I had Land O' Lakes milk, which was not on sale. So after making the switch to the store brand, my milk only cost me $3.57. Is that not outrageous? I wonder how much of that goes to the farmer???????? maybe .50 cents? Somebody once said there's 2 cents worth of corn in a box of Corn Flakes. It's crazy.

Time

... we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that's so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five times more. perhaps not even that. How many more times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless -Paul Bowles

Home- Art From The Ashes

Take a look at this site. Lauren is designing beautiful jewerly! Maybe there is someone special that you would like to give a unique gift. She can design one just for you! She is making me one in remembrance of Wyatt. Home- Art From The Ashes

STURGIS!!!!!!!!!

It seems like only yesterday I was blogging about my trip to Sturgis with Kyla. Another year has gone by and the 67th annual Sturgis Rally is in the history books.

The trip last year was not made without some pain and suffering on both our parts. The '06 Softail Deluxe, beautiful as it is, was not created for long distance touring. So when I mentioned to Jeannie that I would like her to accompany me this year, she wisely declined. Secretly, I was relieved. As diehard a Harley rider as I am, even I didn't enjoy riding it for long distances. Jeannie did allow that were something more cushy and plush to appear in the driveway, she would reconsider the trip. The hunt was on! On the third phone call I scored. A dealer had an '07 Ultra Classic Electraglide he was willing to make a deal on. 24 hours later it's in the driveway and we're packing for Sturgis. Because of prior work commitments we weren't able to leave before Wed. morning. We were loaded down as we pulled out of town at 6:30 am and headed west. The new machine handled everything we asked it to do with comfort and style. Another new addition to the camping gear was an inflatable air mattress, not the self-inflating closed cell kind, but the real comfy kind that are 8 inches thick. I bought a little fan that plugs into the cigarette lighter and pumps up the mattress in under a minute. Sweet! We found a nice shady spot under a tree and we were in business.

I haven't heard the final figures but the numbers were way down for the rally this year. I'm sure the price of gas had something to do with that. Jeannie suggested we print t-shirts that said "I rode my motorcycle to the motorhome rally." It is true, people are not willing to rough it anymore and have the means to travel in style so why not? I guess I would feel the same way, given different circumstances. For now, I like to be self-contained on 2 wheels. I love to tent camp on my motorcycle as I travel. With the new air mattress I love it even more. So camping was great (except for the M80's being detonated next to our tent at 1 am by a drunken pyrotechnic neighbor.) Riding in the Black Hills was great, seeing and being with old friends was great, the weather was perfect except for the morning we left for home, it was cloudy and drizzly. That turned out to be a blessing as the sun eventually came out but the day was moderate temps with low humidity and hardly any wind. It is 387 miles from the campground to our front door and by that time we were both ready to get off. Great trip and I'm looking forward to the next one already.

PS- Jeannie's camera got stolen so we have no pictures but maybe we can share some with a friend that took lots of pics. Thanks Tammy!

More Words To Live By

Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand - and melting like a snowflake. -Marie Beynon Ray

Happy Birthday to Allie!

Last Friday was Allison's 22nd birthday and Allie and Kyla came home to celebrate. We had a pizza party Friday night and then went up to the lake on Sat. morning. The weather was perfect but the water was a little green. That didn't stop us hardy ones from getting in the water but some ladies with a more delicate nature declined. We really had a fun day doing all the usual lake stuff except nobody wanted to be pulled on the tube, probably because there was a tad too much algae. Saturday afternoon and evening we had even more company. We capped off the evening with a moonlight boat ride to the Broadwater Resort to hear the band. It was a perfect weekend.

It's just me and the furkid

Jeannie is gone to Blue Cloud Abbey on vacation all this week so Sugar and I are on our own. So far it hasn't been too bad. Sugar is much more affectionate to me when Jeannie is not around. It has been so dang hot that we can't even go for walks at night, and it's not even the heat really, it's the stifling humidity. But it could be worse, it could be January. I'll never complain about the weather as long as I can walk outside without a jacket and ride my scooter to the office. We could stand a good rain too but that will happen in its own good time. Things are pretty calm in the real estate world, the usual mid-summer lull. I've learned not to panic but it's still disconcerting when things slow down. Things are still fine at the lake cabin. I'm glad we worked to get things finished by Memorial Day weekend cause now it just feels good to walk in and relax. I still have to remodel the bath but that isn't urgent. We're pleased that we bought in the off-season cause there have been quite a few places come on the market recently that aren't that much better than ours but are priced waaaaaaaay out of our league. We are very content with our little place, it's perfect for us. Now if I just had a new boat... Just kidding!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Wyatt. He loved teaching those little kids how to swim, and you can see it in his expression. They loved it when he canon balled off the diving board and got them all wet. I wish I could turn back the hands of time.

I guess that summer is keeping everyone from blogging too much, myself included. The cabin on Lake Madison has been great, we are enjoying it very much. We spent practically the whole week up there last week because of the holiday. Working too, but it's nice to be able to go up at night. We had a great July 4th holiday with practically the whole family at one time or another. The new to me( but in reality 1995) boat worked great until we were coming back to the cabin on the night of July 3rd. The alarm went off which scared me silly cause I didn't know what it was. Finally figured out it was overheating and after a phone call, determined the water pump was going bad. One of the things nobody thinks about until it breaks. Oh well, we'd had most of the company up by then. All things considered, a great weekend. I even have a very slight tint of color on my lily white legs. A nice contrast to my beet red head.

Poker Run 2007

Thanks Kylee for the great pictures. It was a fun day!

2007 Wyatt Ammon Memorial Poker Run

Here are a couple of pictures from the poker run. I will download more later.

Success

Success
He has achieved success
who has lived well,
laughed often, and loved much;

who has enjoyed the trust of
pure women,

the respect of intelligent men and
the love of little children;

who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;

who has left the world better than he found it
whether by an improved poppy,
a perfect poem or a rescued soul;

who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty
or failed to express it;

who has always looked for the best in others and
given them the best he had;

whose life was an inspiration;
whose memory a benediction.

--1904 Bessie Anderson Stanley





published 11/30/1905 in the Lincoln (Kansas) Sentinel - an adaptation of this is often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, though nothing like it has been found in his writings.

Words to Live By

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.


Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.


Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.


Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.


You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.


Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.


With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.


Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

The Poker Run is Still On

Well, the Poker Run officially starts in 26 minutes. It is still raining, but I am confident that it is going to end by 11.Hey, I see blue sky! Even so there is going to be a party bus for people to ride if they don't want to be on motorcycles. A lot of people come in cars too so that will be ok. We have the tshirts all ready to go. They are bright lime green this year. It will be fun no matter who shows up. Last night Erik and Maggie came to stay, so that is a treat to have people staying here. We stayed up late watching Mystery Science Theatre last night. They are so funny. Well, wish us well. I wish you were all here. We'll take pictures!

Video Archive

And here is another video. The local stations did a marvelous job of reporting.Video Archive

Argus Leader Media - Video: Life

Here is another story from the argus leader. Please take a minute to watch the short video.Argus Leader Media - Video: Life

Mother's Healing Garden | KSFY.com Your Source for News, Sports, Weather, and Community Events Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104 | Local & Regional News

Please click on this link to view a story about the Mothers' Healing Garden. The dedication was such a time of blessing. Be sure to click on the "watch the video" below the picture and caption. Thanks!Mother's Healing Garden | KSFY.com Your Source for News, Sports, Weather, and Community Events Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104 | Local & Regional News

Rainy day

It's a gray, cloudy day and pouring rain so it seems like a good time to catch up on some visiting. Jeannie alluded to something in a previous post but it's never been said. We bought a lake cabin on Lake Madison. It's a cottage in the best sense of the word, not even being yeararound, only for summer use. And so we two, being never content to leave anything alone and just use it, have been painting, remodeling and basically working ourselves senseless to make a sil purse out of a sows ear. Ain't gonna work but at least it should be habitable. It's been an adventure. Yesterday I just about blew a hole in my head the size of a .50 caliber bullet trying to prime the well pump so we have water. Got the well to work only to discover the plumbing is broken. Later.

Give Love - Find Peace

It is really crazy. I went to the dentist today. I get the gas that relaxes you. It is marvelous. I get all these wonderful insights. Today I really got what it is we are here for. Give Love. The kingdom of God really is within us. The other insight I got was: The heart goes on, pain is secondary. I also got a tiny message from Wyatt. It was that heaven is so amazing that none of the pain matters at all. It is like the best euphoric feeling that you have ever experienced is just the tip of the iceberg to the wonderful reality that awaits. It was so good to relish these thoughts. My teeth are all fixed so I won't be able to have any more drug induced insights. Darn.

Time for a New Post

Time speeds steadily along to who knows where? Here it is almost the end of April! This weekend is going to be beautiful! I haven't planned out the weekend yet, but I'm guessing I will be painting the cabin. That will be fun though. We are going to paint it a light yellow with white trim and maybe blue shutters. We are also going to paint the entire interior white and various pastels to cheer things up. We are working hard to get it spruced up so we can spend the summer enjoying it.

We are also in the planning stages for the 2nd annual Wyatt Ammon Memorial Poker Run. It is set for June 2nd. We have to get posters ordered, t-shirts, plan the route etc. It will be fun again we're sure. I hope you can come!

On May 26th we are having a public dedication for the Mothers' Healing Garden. It will be a nice affair. Dennis Daugaard is giving a short speech, Mark Docken is giving a blessing, Carol Baum is going to sing, and we are doing a balloon launch where everyone will be invited to send off a balloon in honor of someone they have lost. We will be busy until then planting all kinds of flowers and roses, erecting the altar, and laying more pavers. The garden is beautiful! Come on the 26th if you can.

Business at LandMark is going really well. We are busy. I'm so glad that we are both in the same line of work. We feel very fortunate to be able to work together. Who would have guessed we could get along so well being together 24/7?

I think of Wyatt all the time, wondering what his existence is like now. I miss him so much and I'm still in disbelief that I won't see him again in my lifetime. That just won't sink in. Life is change, time is death itself. We all will die. Why won't our brains operate in this reality? It is a strange phenomenon, part of our survival instinct, but strange all the same. I visualize Wyatt in the next place, enraptured by it all, exploring and experiencing everything with a zeal only Wyatt had. I can't wait to be there someday too. But in the meantime I focus on this life and try to see the good in people. I want to reach out to others in meaningful ways. Really aren't we all just trying to get through this life the best we can? Wouldn't it be better if we all just try to build each other up as we go through?

I know people don't take the time to read super long blog entries so I'll end this now.

Mothers' Healing Garden

DellRapidsInfo.com - Dell Rapids, SD
Check out this article about the Mothers Healing Garden. Isn't it great! We are really excited to get out in the garden this spring. It is coming along so well. I hope you can stop and see it next time you are in Dell Rapids.

New Hair Color

I got my hair weaved this week. It is styled a little different too. I have only colored my hair one other time in my life. It is kind of reddish now. It is nice, my hair has a little more body too. What do you think?

John Smith 400

John Smith 400

Donald came to visit

Donald Dover came to visit us as part of his travel around the country tour. It was really nice to see him and catch up on things. He had a friend, Matt, traveling with him. Donald is starting his 5 month assignment with National Geographic, reenacting the voyage of John Smith. He is really excited. I am going to try to link the website that is going to chart the voyage. More later!

Greg had a great idea to have a party to share our tropical vacation pictures and stories. We invited other people who have taken trips. We also had tropical drinks: Pina Coladas, Marquaritas, Daquairies, and many concoctions with fresh fruit. It was a blast! We had 30 friends show up and partied the night away. So much FUN! It was a cold rainy day so it was really nice to have something fun to do.

I'm finally getting some pictures posted of our Puerto Vallarta trip. We had so much fun! The weather was perfect. We both felt so relaxed and rejuvenated. Probably our most relaxing vacation ever. We LOVE Mexico. Our resort was all inclusive and beautiful, but next time I think we are going to go it on our own. There were a lot of little hotels in the Old Town. We like mixing with the local people. That was probably our favorite part. It is a very safe place to go, they have a very low crime rate. We were never nervous when we were out and about. We took the public transportation everywhere, and only got lost once. The people are very friendly and tolerant of us foreigners. The language barrier was not even that troublesome. We wished we could have stayed another week. There's always next year!

Only in SD......

Well technically that's not completely true cause I know they're getting blasted in WY again too but still............School was called off at practically all schools in northeast and northcentral SD today due to high winds, blowing and drifting snow and white-out conditions. We're getting a little snow here in Dells but Geez Louise, I was ready for spring!

We're a stop on the Tour

Last night we we visited by Wyatt's friend from DC, Donald Dover and cross-country traveling companion Matt Parks. They stopped to pay their respects after what sounded like a wonderful trip to the west coast and back again. They nicknamed the trip "The Pancake Tour" and I'm not quite sure how that came about but they had been making pancakes at every stop. This stop Jeannie made the pancakes, and they were delicious whole wheat apple nut pancakes. We really enjoyed the visit, wished they could've stayed longer but Don has an appointment he can't miss on Sunday. It was a great time. Shout out to all Wyatt's old friends who still read this blog- if you are ever close to SD, there will always be a warm bed, a cold beer and good conversation waiting for you in Dell Rapids. Please stop!

Boring Bloggers

I know we have been negligent in posting. I seem to get writer's block every time I start to post. We are snowed into the house for the first time in years. Nothing is moving in our neighborhood. So we have taken the opportunity to be sluglike. We seriously haven't done a thing today but sleep, eat, read, sleep, eat. And now I'm feeling the urge to bake some cookies. WOW! No wonder we're big!

Anyway, I was thinking about all the hype about the Bird Flu and how if it really did hit we would be stuck in our homes. At first when you think about it, it doesn't sound so bad.But can you imagine not being able to leave at all, and then what about the people who work at the utility companies keeping our water, electricity, gas and everything going. Would they go to work or stay home? I suppose hospital personnel would live there or at a place all together. They wouldn't be able to go home to their families. And none of this takes into account all the sick and dying people. It would be mayhem for sure. But I guess we never hear about that anymore. Now the media is fixated on Anna Nicole, for the love!

Ok, if I don't get any responses I'm not going to feel the need to post again. So the ball is in your court now.

We´re in Mexico

Wonderful Vacation!!!
It is absolutely perfect here. It is hard to believe there are really places like this. Perfect day after day! We are having a great time. We have been to Old Market,Las Calestas for a dinner and show by torch and canlelight, whale watching, a mexican show, loads of sun on the beach, sun, sun, sun. I think I will be coming back every winter. Really there isn´t any place better. Can you believe there is a WalMart and Sam´s club near our resort? The prices on things are about what we pay in the US. But the market is so much fun. We sleep so well listening to the turf which is right by our window. It sounds like a really bad South Dakota storm. Luckily we like thunderstorms. The first night Greg had trouble sleeping because he kept waking up thinking he needed to shut windows because of the storm. Greg´s cold is much better thanks to the medicine he got before we left. We are headed back to the Old Market now. I´m at a cyber cafe, internet is $1 an hour, not bad! Happy Valentine´s Day! I love you all!!!!

It's still winter

The high temperature tomorrow is supposed to be -4F. That is correct, the high is still below zero. So far, no frozen water or sewer pipes on any of the rental houses. The furnace seems to run constantly, which is no big surprise I guess. Last months gas bill was $220 and it was relatively balmy compared to this month. I used to say this kind of weather kept the riff-raff out of this part of the country, but we seem to have our share of that too.
Anyway, enough complaining. In 8 days we will be in Mexico. I can't wait.

We're outta here

Come this June, my wife and I will celebrate 30 years of wedded bliss. She also will be celebrating a milestone birthday. In lieu of diamonds, we're heading to Puerto Vallarta in Feb. Who wouldn't rather have a trip than jewelry? This is the first time we've ever gone someplace warm in the winter all by ourselves. (We did take a cruise once but that doesn't count cause the kids were along.) I have no idea what to expect but the anticipation makes it that much better. I've heard that the ocean swimming isn't that great but maybe that is misinformation too. We'll find out. I do know that they have a very large downtown market where everything and anything under the sun is for sale, so that will be very fun for Jeannie. Also there are huge old cathedrals, jungle jeep tours and I'm sure much more I don't know about. It should be awesome. This time, I'm not going to the tanning booth like I did before the cruise. 8 years I have endured being called a "french fry" by my children. Mayhaps they'll like me better as a lobster.

More on Time

I bought a book at Good Will awhile back. It is titled Time and Space. I am thoroughly enjoying it. It is definitely bringing the great theories of all time down to layman terms. Which is exactly what I need. Anyhow, I think I am studying time because I believe time is death itself. Each minute falls away and can never be restored or revisited except in our thoughts. There is a quote that seemed to hit home. Here it is:

This idea is based on the physicists' second law of thermodynamics, which states that in any isolated system, entropy-or disorder-increases with time. A classic example of an isolated system with a high degree of order is an ordinary drinking glass. If the glass falls and shatters, disorder increases. The reverse will never occur: The shards of glass will never leap into the air and reassemble themselves. Events move steadily and irreversibly forward into the future, never turning back into the past. Therefore, explain scientists, time must act correspondingly, moving inexorably into the future. Although, as Einstein explained in the special theory of relativity, time moves slower or faster depending on the observer, it still moves in only one direction, and that is foward.

I think one of the hardest things to accept about Wyatt's death is that it cannot be undone. I know that probably sounds strange to others, but for months now my mind goes back to the fall. My minds works and reworks the accident. For a long time I needed details, details. After I felt I had gotten all the details there were my mind now rehashes them. Not all the time, but still it is like I am seeking a different result. It is as if my mind just cannot accept that this string of events can't somehow be changed just a small bit and Wyatt will come back. But also I remember feeling like I was standing in the middle of shattered glass, desparate to put it back together. Seeing millions of tiny shards and thinking there had to be a way to bring it back together. Then accepting that it was impossible just like the quote above expresses. In accepting the truth, life has taken on an entirely new meaning. I am still trying to put it into words, this new reality. Everything and Nothing are important at the same time. I know Wyatt would love to enter into this exploration with me. Hey, who knows, maybe he is, in a different dimension.

PS. I know I'm weird!

cameras, ect.

So, Christmas is over, the decorations are packed away. Time for some reflection. But not what you think. Around this house, we like to look at pictures. Not all the time, but when we like to look at them, we like to look at them, you know what I mean? Now I came to this all on my own, no conversation with anybody, but here's how I see it. And I know I'm old so lets get that outta the way now.
Digital cameras suck. Whatever anybody says, I don't care. I've got no pictures to look at. My old, cheap, but took really good pictures, 35 mm camera finally croaked. Naturally, right before the holidays. So we've got this digital camera, so we're all good, right? Well, whenever we wanted to use it, the battery was dead. No problem, other people have cameras, hey they're all digital too. Just out of curiousity, how may of you faithful readers have ever printed out the pictures on your digital camera? Maybe they get saved to disk, so what? Who ever looks at that? I like a photo album. I like a shoebox of old pictures, the ones that say Kodak or Polaroid on them. The ones you can write the month and year you took them on the back and cry when you look at them. Those are the pictures I like and since I am still in charge of a few things around here, I'm buying a new SLR 35 mm camera tomorrow. So there.

Happy New Year!

It's been a while since I blogged. December was busy, with work and the holidays. Christmas was good, the girls were all home and it was nice. Our "thrift store" gift exchange was really quite fun too. For those who don't know, this year, in homage to Wyatt who dearly loved thrifting, we decided that all the presents exchanged in our immediate family had to be purchased at a rummage sale, thrift store, auction or second hand store. It does require some forethought, planning and perseverance(no running out at 3 pm on Christmas eve, although I was almost that bad). Everyone got some amazing gifts, considering out $10 limit. Gotta go for now, bye.