Flower Power

Guess who got roses! Yes, twenty-four glorious buds in shades from sunshine to sunset.

I usually love to get live plants so I can enjoy many years of flowers. I have a gorgeous yellow rose that feels like an anniversary kiss from my sweetie each summer. The baby roses in pinks and corals and peaches that remind me of birthday givers. I have chrysanthemums that not only brighten the autumn, but bring happy memories of co-workers.

Usually I can tell how a plant is feeling with just a glance and am there with water or a move to a brighter window as needed. However, I am currently killing every plant I get with no effort on my part. Any plant that crosses the threshhold is doomed. Heck, if it even sets root on our property, it's a gonner. Now that I think about it, I've even done some long-distance killing if several bushes that lived all too briefly at Grammy's are any indication. It's an odd feeling to have a black thumb for the first time in my life.

We may be short one poinsettia, a variegated ficus that lasted several years until it entered my kill zone, and a lavender bush that I had big plans for (how do you hasten the demise of a drought-tolerant plant, for heaven's sake?). I am successfully giving rosemary a bad case of mildew and the oregano leaves look fried. Peace may not stand a chance if I can't even get one of these easily-grown houseplants through a summer.

So...I am loving every petal on my roses. They are lasting at least as long as any live plant would. I don't have to worry much about taking care of them since I can see through the vase when they need water. And, knowing that their beauty is fleeting, I am spending time each day to admire them and bless my sweetie for knowing that, this once, roses were the perfect birthday present!

Erkie's Adventures

Erk is our own personal entertainment center.

We recently realized that the reason we don't go dancing, hit the movies regularly or skydive is that we get a weekly dose of excitement from watching him play soccer. It helps that he is a goal-scoring machine on the pitch, but it's actually the quality of his play and the fact that he gives 100% on the field that is the attraction! He's currently playing indoor soccer on both a coed and a men's team--so we get double the fun each week. This is the first season he's played indoor since shredding his ACL his freshman year and, while we both had concerns at first, neither of us flinch much less cringe when we watch now. Erk told his friends up front that he wouldn't play unless it was on an indoor turf surface. We've especially loved watching the coed team--the female players are quite skilled and the teamwork and passes are a joy. Outdoor soccer is still a few months away and we should mention that we've watched his men's league team improve continually and were league champs this fall. Go, Lazyboys!

Now that we've got the soccer out of the way...

It took a few years, but he realized that sitting inside in front of a computer for eight hours a day wasn't really the way he wanted to spend his work hours. He'd been quite impressed with the physical therapists during his ACL rehabilitation so...farewell, Computer Science and hello, P.T! He's officially majoring in Health Ecology now (the catch-all title for those interested in a career pertaining to Medicine in some way, shape or form). He's a Physical Therapy aide for a group downtown--a way of earning money and getting experience in his newly-chosen field. We are thrilled that he's found his niche--with all his people skills and athletic experience, this just feels right to us. He has no problem getting to work at 8 a.m. so we know he must really like what he's doing.

He's still living in the same house fairly close to campus although the roommates have changed a bit as they graduate and get jobs. It's convenient to his job and it's not too far from us either. We enjoy a weekly family dinner so we can catch up, but still let him have plenty of independence. He'd love to have a dog, but knows school and work eat up too much time, so for now his parakeet keeps him company.




He's been an immense help at Grammy's. Her backyard landscape project wouldn't have gotten nearly as far without his muscles and willing gift of time over and over throughout a very hot summer. We are quite impressed with his hard work. Turns out that he and Amanda make a good team when it comes to landscaping. They somehow made it fun to move large quantities of soil. We all miss her as she completes her master's degree in Montana.

It doesn't seem that he could possibly be 23 now. We're glad he's still nearby. We trade haircuts for backrubs and he doesn't let us get away with any parental nonsense. We compare notes on novels and swap copies. Holidays are happier with at least one kid around and it's been wonderful to have three generations seated around the dinner table!

(Thank you, Pam, you got me blogging on him!)

Making a stand

I've been reading way too much about diets, scales, weight control, proper eating and resolutions this year. Being told what's good for me always makes me want to do exactly the opposite.

Just for the record:

• I have not been to the health club once in the last month
• I relished every last smooth and creamy bite of the holiday dark chocolate fudge
• I have not taken even one healthy long walk this whole vacation
• I have plans to combine a hot bath with one of Jan's homemade mints
• Made-from-scratch hot chocolate just became one of our holiday traditions and the holidays aren't over yet
• I was the culprit who finished off the peppermint bark

To every thing there is a season. This is my time to savor the epicurean treasures that appear only during the holidays. And they taste even better when the rest of the world is apparently revelling in crudites.

Family Update, Part Deux

Pierre is nicely settled in the southwest (with a wonderful girlfriend and her little girl), fixing computers and installing digital dental x-ray software. Getting software certified has meant a few trips to Atlanta and Salt Lake which also means the parental units get a nice phone call from him when he's on a layover (he's actually better at calling than I am).

He's renting a newer home with a home office. Good thing too, because he frequently has some very long days which extend into the wee hours when business is brisk, and it's soooo much nicer to get up, pet the pooch, and take a snack break in your own kitchen (see above). He's not doing much on the rental, because it is a rental. But...he's saving all those nickels and dimes and hopes to begin looking for a house of his own. Sounds like homes are still affordable there and I can just picture him fine-tuning a nice older home into a showplace inside and out.

When the company owner moved away to start up another office and expand the business, that left Pierre in a management position and he's had all the joys and tribulations inherent in finding the perfect (and some slightly imperfect) employees. It's good life experience, right? Fortunately, hiring and firing is not the biggest part of the job, and he enjoys troubleshooting computers. One nice perk is hockey tickets. Watching ice hockey up close and personal so you can really appreciate how hard players check is very cool (no pun intended) and Pierre and The Girlfriend make it a family evening.

He's still loves speed and is working on his "Z" as funds permit. He's mainly a self-taught mechanic, no surprise since he's always been hands-on with tools, and amazed his parents no end with what he can do. He even installed a sweet sound system in The Girlfriend's truck for Christmas.

We also are hearing that he makes a very calm and patient "parent"--of course, we think Lia is totally sweet, so how hard could that be?! But still, we are very proud of the way he's turned out. And very happy that life is dealing him some good cards finally. It's hard to believe, but he clicked off that quarter century mark on his last birthday.

He still loves doing anything outdoors and wearing t-shirts emblazoned with fast cars or microbrew logos.