tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96139352024-03-17T20:03:50.501-07:00Here's the ThingLife on Nebraska CourtJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-85330089375869710602010-11-26T05:19:00.007-07:002010-11-26T07:35:21.110-07:00Ocean View RoomIt was moving day for the soon to be married Ann. The Budget rental truck stood ready to go being fully loaded with Ann's worldly possessions the day before. My mission was to drive the truck 500 miles to Carpinteria California and be there by 4:00 pm when movers were scheduled to arrive. Marilyn's and Ann's mission was to get to Carpinteria and not ride with me in a moving van for 10 hours. Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-38795137456197799172010-09-06T16:59:00.008-07:002010-10-03T19:19:13.892-07:00Fun at the CabinForrest Gump said that life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get inside. Going up to the cabin for the first time each summer is a lot like a box of chocolates. You just never know what's inside. I always mentally prepare myself for the possibility that on arriving after a three and a half hour drive, we may have to turn around and come home immediately. Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-46432476345381842502010-05-30T11:59:00.005-07:002010-05-31T17:50:28.316-07:00Goodbye ScruffyShe was a Christmas gift for Ann 17 years ago. A kitten loaded with long multicolored fur and one tan foot. No matter how long she groomed herself the fur was never quite right. She had a series of "bad hair" days lasting her entire life. What she lacked in looks, she made up in cat charm. When she was young, she brought us gifts. We never felt comfortable giving her cash or access to Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-29695581434503562452010-05-02T17:12:00.010-07:002010-06-06T07:27:34.111-07:00Disney AdventureIt's been well over ten years since Marilyn and I have been to Disneyland. Ann and Peter came up with a plan to meet us over there and share a day of magic kingdom adventure. Somehow, through the family network, twelve family members and fiances ended up sharing it with us. We made a sizable crowd big enough to be assigned our own Small World boat. Sing along as you view the pictures. You Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-71409409108435886172010-05-02T16:20:00.007-07:002010-05-02T17:19:53.068-07:00Gimpy ShootsAfter unwrapping Christmas gifts and clearing the clutter, it's time to play with the toys. One gift that Steve gave Carol was an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle! Steve was inspired by the movie "A Christmas Story". In the movie, A young boy named Ralphie desperately wants a Red Ryder air rifle for Christmas, but everybody says he'll put an eye out Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-36634200127269670552010-03-15T05:41:00.015-07:002010-05-02T16:19:50.294-07:00Cracker TownThe family gathered at Linda and Jim's for the traditional Christmas Eve dinner. We had a gingerbread house decorating contest in the past and thought it would be fun to do it again. As time drew near, our visions of highly decorated yule tide gingerbread houses crumbled when we realized that we weren't going to have the key ingredient - gingerbread. I'm not going to lay blame on anyone (LindaJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-66020653985999937162010-03-15T05:14:00.003-07:002010-03-15T06:32:57.360-07:00Ann and Peter EngagedIn a romantic setting at the Scottsdale Gainey Ranch, Peter popped the question.Wedding in September.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-38408221599144111962009-12-26T08:36:00.004-07:002009-12-26T11:52:55.848-07:00Thanksgiving 2009Thanksgiving found the usual suspects showing up at our doorstep this year to celebrate the holiday. Marilyn and I have ironed out our cooking strategy with the addition of a turkey roaster although much of the preparation still involves the outside BBQ grill.Steve and Carol driving directly in from the frosty north brought Piggy, their faithful canine to the party. Piggy enjoyed romping in the Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-26670179155576363322009-12-02T06:30:00.006-07:002009-12-04T07:00:27.854-07:00I'm having the beefThe wedding reception cocktail hour was winding down and guests were seating themselves for the reception dinner. Marilyn and I finally zeroed in on our table which had only our spots vacant. Name cards perched on small decorative candle holders indicated who we were and by color our choice of beef or chicken. I tossed my cocktail napkin down and we seated ourselves. Immediately, guests Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-2746811005779581422009-09-21T06:06:00.017-07:002009-11-24T19:43:27.872-07:00AlooohaFor some time Marilyn and I had wanted to return to Honolulu. We lived there in the early 70's when I was in the Navy and hadn't been back since. There was little planning involved. We booked the trip two days before we left. I guess a flight and a hotel on the beach were all we really needed. We stayed in Waikiki about as close to the beach as one can get.Marilyn loves lounging on the Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-68340484272169412852009-08-21T07:52:00.006-07:002009-08-21T10:44:19.231-07:00Daisy's 9 LivesThey say a cat has nine lives. This week Daisy lived her ninth to the end. She passed peacefully curled up next to the Arcadia door where the afternoon sun would warm her old bones. She had an exceptionally long life for a cat spanning 21 years. We don't know where she came from originally, but my parents found her in their shed one night. She was hungry and attempted to eat old bait from aJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-1600939600071498302009-01-04T18:01:00.007-07:002009-01-04T18:59:08.287-07:00Ann GraduatesOn the evening of December 19th at Grady Gammage Auditorium, Ann Marie graciously accepted two diplomas bringing to a close her undergraduate studies at ASU. That's right. I said two diplomas. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Management Technology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Air Traffic Management.After the ceremony, we celebrated appropriately at Anzios Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-44396132145863428892009-01-04T16:39:00.009-07:002009-01-07T05:47:37.236-07:00Thanksgiving 2008Another Thanksgiving and another turkey challenge. Over the past two Thanksgivings, we've been perfecting our turkey production skills. Since our oven isn't big enough to for all we need it for, It's been my job to cook the ham and two small turkeys outside on the grill. It's not really cooking though since both the ham and turkeys are pre-cooked. It's really just heating. It sounds simple Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-40558363210932979632008-11-02T16:27:00.006-07:002008-11-02T17:25:26.477-07:00Mom Was Right This TimeLooking through old photos, I came across one that brought back painful memories. I remembered exactly how I ended up in the pitiful condition displayed on the old black and white photograph.As a small boy, my mother was always giving me warnings about the dangers that lurked in the world and how to avoid them. One of her warnings was not to poke a wasp nest with a stick or they will sting youJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-59382272900073098992008-09-13T09:22:00.010-07:002008-09-25T06:24:58.490-07:00Shoot 'em upAnn had been had been hinting that she wanted to go shooting with me for some time. I don't know what sparked her recent interest in firearms. Maybe she's been watching old western movies lately. Last Sunday we bought some ammunition, packed up the pistols, and headed for the local shooting range.I was looking forward to firing my vintage pistol. My father had "liberated" it during World War Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-28800732044479785762008-08-03T11:24:00.011-07:002008-08-03T15:51:09.615-07:00To The TowerAnn has been working at the airport control tower for awhile as a college intern. She now has a student job in the flight controller training simulator. Friday, Marilyn and I took her up on her offer for a tour.We worked our way to the top going through the "tracon" where controllers guide aircraft that are some distance from the airport. There are no windows in the tracon room since there is Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-47620405423176857572008-07-20T09:31:00.009-07:002008-07-23T07:02:50.886-07:00Paint the CabinIt was Jim's idea to take the Fourth of July weekend and spend it painting the cabin. I'll have to admit it needed it. The last time we painted it was 1993. Jim and I had gone there last winter to paint but it turned out to be too cold for the paint to stick and too cold for us to stick with it. This time, we brought Linda, Marilyn, Jay, and Ann to get the job done. We began scraping the oldJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-34226363959239223262008-07-14T19:37:00.023-07:002008-07-27T14:02:37.281-07:00Carol and Steve HitchedLate afternoon on June 28 vans lined up at the hotel to ferry those who chose not to drive to the wedding site. Steve gives last minute instructions to drivers.Ann made the wedding cake and had gotten it the 165 miles to Flagstaff in one piece. Now she clutched precious cargo as the van careened over the rough forest road.At the site on the beautiful Hart Prairie, guests milled and enjoyed Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-65569495889571973652008-07-13T15:05:00.007-07:002008-07-13T17:46:19.444-07:00One Day AwaySteve and Carol were getting married in the high forests north of Flagstaff. Marilyn and I drove up to Flagstaff the day before the wedding. Shortly before reaching the hotel, a spatter of rain hit the windshield. Dark clouds covered the northern sky. The wedding was tomorrow, outside, in the woods and there was no backup plan. The rain stopped as quickly as it began as we arrived at the Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-20309257217548069012008-07-13T14:55:00.001-07:002008-07-13T15:02:56.487-07:00Birthday SlideThe birthday slide continues as Ann turns 23. Last year she realized that things are downhill after 21. This year she had to make her own cake. At least the birthday slide hasn't affected her creativity.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-57269420520223809132008-05-04T17:36:00.002-07:002008-05-04T17:46:01.883-07:00In Memory of DwightThis past week our youngest cat, Dwight, succumbed to the dreaded cat disease FIP. The disease took him quickly. Although he was with us only just over one year, Marilyn and I miss him. As cats go, he was a good one. Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-1464587096935511522008-03-30T16:10:00.005-07:002008-03-30T19:37:22.023-07:00Triple Play BirthdayUsually we combine Carol's and Marilyn's birthday celebrations since they are close together. This year we made it a triple play by including Steve's birthday which is April 1. This year was a milestone for Carol and Steve as they both turned 30. It was also a milestone for Marilyn who turned 30+. Marilyn didn't buy a cake this year because there's always so much left over that nobody eats. Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-50759965136869058192008-03-29T08:24:00.004-07:002008-03-29T09:32:59.819-07:00Midnight JackAs Marilyn and were watching TV, an ear splitting cat screech cut the night air. It didn't come from outside. It came from our kitchen. I jumped up and entered the kitchen just in time to see a long haired gray cat making tracks through the laundry room to the guest bathroom and out the cat door. The scream came from Scruffy who was visibly agitated. Apparently she went in for a late night snack Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-89527478862810660312008-03-23T19:05:00.011-07:002008-03-30T20:04:09.643-07:00Squaw Peak AttemptAs part of our "climb every mountain" plan Marilyn and I decided we were ready to climb Squaw Peak. We really had no basis to make to make this decision other than the fact it was a nice day and we had nothing else to do. The trail is well marked and worn. We made our way to the one quarter mile sign and pushed on. It was a steep climb. Marilyn was feeling exhausted before we made it to the half Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9613935.post-91511683286325860952008-03-08T14:13:00.009-07:002008-03-08T15:41:38.231-07:00Stuff On My CatI can't remember when I started putting stuff on my cat because it wasn't a big deal. You're watching TV, a cat is curled up next to you, and you have a can in your hand. For me, the natural human response to this situation is to put the can on the cat's head and see if you can balance it there. I've been doing this for years. If I didn't have a can, it would be something else. TV remotes are Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10724226168727636926noreply@blogger.com37