What a year 2012 has been for us. It’s been a year of some fun trips – some local, some a little farther away. We didn’t go far and it seemed that every trip had some “interesting” memories. We tore up the Fit in Pendleton and spent over a week marooned at the Casino there…not a bad place to be stuck though, all things being equal. In total that ended up being a pretty good trip.
Our number one boy was sidelined with increasing mobility problems but still he soldiered on for a time. We said a sad good bye to Rusty in July but his memory lives in our hearts forever.
The biggest blow came in June when I lost my sister (center) suddenly and unexpectedly. But this is life, and loss, while hard, is a part of life. We go on.
The rest of the summer was wonderful right here at home with family and
grandkids visits to keep us company. The grands did their annual show, this time with a Beatles theme.
We had a visit from a couple using the Boondockers Welcome website and they were such great people. We had backyard visits from Judy and Everett, Allen and Lolita, Ed and Carol, and Betty and Joe. We met the Weavers at our favorite Roaring Rapids Pizza Parlor, and met up for a second time with Sue and Mo. I hope I didn’t forget anyone but that seems like a pretty good social year for meeting bloggers when it feels like we didn’t travel much!
We started on what was supposed to be a trip to Glacier National Park in September but, after a nice night boondocking in Dave and Carol's driveway, we again had a problem with the Fit. Still, while our plans changed and we didn’t go where we had planned, we did have a wonderful trip eventually. The best thing about that was getting rid of the Even Brake and getting the Stay in Play Duo. Best thing we ever did! No disrespect to the Even Brake as I know others have had great success with it. I just don’t think it works well in the Fit. We are VERY happy with the Stay in Play set-up.
Today to end out the year, I have the 5 teenaged grandkids here for a sleepover. Grandpa is on duty right now while I take a much needed break and write my blog. Whew!! Love those grands but they sure do have the energy.
The day did not start well as we said goodbye to Punkin kitty. 
She had a sore on her foot a couple of weeks ago and we bandaged it up and it seemed fine. Last night it broke open again and bled profusely. We took her to the vet today and found out it is a rare form of cancer that is not curable. So Punkin joins Rusty at Rainbow Bridge. At least she found a great home with us when she adopted us 12 years ago and she had a good long life.
So what lies ahead for 2013? I have only positive expectations. It has got to be better than 2012. We plan to do more travel and we are excited for the future. We are leaving the past where it belongs, and moving forward into whatever lies ahead. Life still holds endless possibilities and we intend to grab those that we can.
And you know the best thing about 2013? It is NOT a presidential election year…can I hear a big AMEN ha-ha!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone and we’ll see you down the road.
This Christmas has been a bit strange for 
us. It’s the first Christmas that I have been without my sister. To say I miss her is an understatement. She has only been gone for 6 months so the loss still seems very fresh.
One of my favorite memories is the year my Grandpa played Santa Claus and Sharon and I had our picture taken with him. This was somewhere is AZ but I can’t remember the city. I think it was Mesa but I can’t tell for sure. It’s another one of those instances where I wish I could phone mom and dad and ask them, but I’m afraid those days are long gone too.
It’s also the first Christmas in 15 years that we have not had the Best Dog Ever, Rusty, here to celebrate the holidays with us. Rusty was a true Party Animal! He always had a present or two under the tree, and he LOVED to unwrap them.
He loved to help others unwrap their presen
ts as well, but he was polite and would wait until he was invited to help. Then he would gently take an edge of the paper and pull it away from the package. I always wondered how a dog could know that just the paper was supposed to come off. He never tried to chew through the box the paper covered.
This dear boy was never more happy
than when he was surrounded by family and lots of Christmas wrappings.
Amid all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, it’s good to stop and reflect on all the good memories of years gone by. Although this Christmas is tinged with sadness, we do have so many happy memories, and those are what I choose to embrace.
I can never get Sharon or Rusty back and I miss them both so much. But I can celebrate and remember the Christmas times we enjoyed together.
I know I posted this last year but it is my favorite version of my favorite Christmas Carol…another memory that I will cherish forever. This is my then 7 year old granddaughter singing a capella, “O Holy Night,” and catching us all by surprise when she goes for and hits the high note at the end! (Note to Bekah: I wouldn’t turn down an update, hint-hint!!) Merry Christmas everyone.
One of the most thought provoking blogs I have read recently was posted as a link on Merikay’s site tonight. I think everyone should read it. A whole different perspective and one we need to consider and do some thinking about. I don’t have an answer for the dilemma faced by the writer but it would behoove us to try and find one.
P.S. Thank you all for offering to taste test (!!) my fudge efforts and a special thanks to Sue Malone for sending me the recipe to See's fudge. Wish I could share some with ya'll.
For years I made the Easy, marshmallow cream fudge…but haven’t made any for many years. I want to make REAL fudge this year…you know, the rich old fashioned kind that melts in your mouth and is full of rich, chocolate flavor. I want the kind you have to beat until it loses its gloss…or your arm falls off, whichever comes first.
I went yesterday and bought about 6 different kinds of chocolate (good stuff, not just chips). I got cream and corn syrup and sugar and canned milk…all the things I thought I might need. Now I have been perusing recipes online and I am stumped! There are so many I don’t know which to choose. So…please…if you have a great chocolate fudge recipe that you would be willing to share, I would love to have it. You can post it here or send it to me at grandma_kr at yahoo dot com.
I want to fill the house with the smells of Christmas and there is nothing like making fudge and cookies to help accomplish that goal. I have a bunch of tins that I plan to fill up for family, so I can make and bake to my heart’s content and then send it all away!!
Meanwhile, here is a short video of Carol of the Bells, from my granddaughter’s (Bekah) middle school concert. This was in November, so the kids didn’t have a lot of time to practice since the beginning of school and I think they did a great job. They have a wonderful teacher. Enjoy!
Note: NOT a travel post, just something I needed to get off my chest. This is just one side of the coin and is my opinion only.
No doubt everyone has heard the news about the latest catastrophic shooting incident, this time at an elementary school in Connecticut. Just a few days ago there was a shooting at a mall near where my daughter and her family live, in Clackamas, OR. Both incidents are tragedies, to be sure. What I am about to say is in no way meant to diminish the seriousness of these events, nor the grief these incidents bring. I am really at a loss but am trying to think through the sadness that surrounds such circumstance.
My personal reaction is not meant to be dogmatic, as I could well be wrong in my assessment. However, I wonder about the reporting that happens when something like this occurs. Is it really necessary and responsible to report continuously on the tragedy? I was out shopping this morning and knew nothing about the situation until we returned home. I turned on my computer and on Yahoo the story of the shooting was at the top of my news feed with the headline, “20 Children dead in Connecticut shooting.” Right below that was a link to “continuous live coverage.” I’m sorry, but I think that is just a little bit sick.
Don’t these parents, friends, relatives, and response personnel have enough to deal with without the news media sticking microphones and cameras in their faces? Do we really need to see little children running for their lives and crying in terror? Does this do anything to help the situation? Do we really have a “need to know?” Before the internet and the availability of 24 hour news stations, we would not be bombarded with the coverage we now endure.
I did NOT watch any video but I did see a few of the still shots of the children outside of the building, and that was enough. I do not want to be an ostrich but do I really need to know all the gory details? I wonder if the limelight given to perpetrators of this type only encourages others to act out their own fantasy and claim their own infamy.
On Face Book I saw that someone had posted their reaction to the tragedy, along with the news about 20 school children in China who had been stabbed to death yesterday. My question is, what do we gain by knowing this? Yes, it is tragic but can we do anything about it? My mother used to tell me is I was not part of the problem nor part of the solution, then I had best stay out of it.
The only person I can control is ME! The only people I can influence are those close to me. Do I influence them positively by participating in the feeding frenzy generated by the news media? Or, is it more important that I focus on the more positive quality of life?
To be sure, evil exists in this world and it is not that hard to find examples. It would be easy to sink into a morass of of negativity and “the world is going to Hell in a handbasket” mentality. But that does not solve anything. The 24/7 reporting of negative news does not solve anything. What is truly gained by the entire world knowing about the tragedy in Connecticut or the one in China? Does it change the outcome? Does it change what the “good guys” can do about it? I think not. Those of us who abhor violence will still abhor violence regardless of what we see or read in the media. Those who feed on such news will continue to absorb all that the media dishes out. The only ones who benefit from this type of news coverage are the news media, their advertisers, and sadly, the perpetrator who was looking for validation and recognition.
I don’t know the answer. I know the media reports what the public wants to hear. Have we developed such blood lust and are we so inured to the pain of loss that we must view it over and over? What does it accomplish? Why do we not hear of the many schools who made it through the day without even a hint of violence?
I don’t have an answer and I admit my reaction here is on a visceral level. I am sick and tired of hearing nothing but negative reports. That doesn’t mean I think everything is rosy and there are no problems, I just question the wisdom of the non-stop reporting of tragedies and our hunger to feed on such news stories. There is much good in the world and I only wish we could hear more reports on that.
Those who so vociferously decry the violence and really want to effect change should consider turning off the TV and volunteering at a school or a homeless shelter where they might actually have a positive influence.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (Christian Bible)
Russ asked for ONE thing this Christmas, a family portrait. Knowing this would not work well in a studio, I set up the big camera in the living room, put it on self-timer mode and snapped a few shots. We got some funny ones, but I think this one is a keeper.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
The biggest blow came in June when I lost my sister (center) suddenly and unexpectedly. But this is life, and loss, while hard, is a part of life. We go on.
grandkids visits to keep us company. The grands did their annual show, this time with a Beatles theme. 
She had a sore on her foot a couple of weeks ago and we bandaged it up and it seemed fine. Last night it broke open again and bled profusely. We took her to the vet today and found out it is a rare form of cancer that is not curable. So Punkin joins Rusty at Rainbow Bridge. At least she found a great home with us when she adopted us 12 years ago and she had a good long life. 
