Crabby Isn't All Bad

Who's crabby?  Me!  I was sick Sunday and Monday, back to work today but tired and not over it, and now I'm Hormonal Hannah.  The reason it's not all bad - I'm getting some things done.  Like telephone contacts, like dealing with things, like figuring things out.  Very nice.  Soon Pete and I will be watching The Office reruns.  Pete?  Oh Pete?  Pete, are you hiding?

30 Years

Pete and I will have been married 30 years next Tuesday.  We're celebrating with a weekend trip to Chicago, where we have several wonderful things planned.  On the actual anniversary date we're meeting long-time friends Bob and Laura for dinner.  I'm excited about all of it.

So I've been thinking about a marriage that lasts 30 years, and I wish I had a "Here's the way to do it" list.  But I don't.  What I truly find remarkable about this is that after all this time, Pete's and my weaknesses have been used by God to make a happy marriage, to turn two independent, different, opinionated, and sometimes stubborn and selfish people into something that makes us truly happy and glorifies Him.  Important as it is, you can't build a marriage on a mutual love for Beatles music, The Godfather, and spending time being goofy together (though I do not minimize any of these things). I'm full of thankfulness to have spent all these years with this wonderful, talented, and shall we say sometimes quirky man.  And for Megan and Christopher, our beloved children.

Currently Reading Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action By J. Matthew Sleeth see related

Why Obama?

I attached my Xanga to my Facebook site, which I started to make my sister Linda happy.  So maybe my Xanga readership will increase.  With such an inviting title as "Why Obama" and my having so many friends who are libs, let's see what happens.

Currently Reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, Library Edition By Barbara Kingsolver, Steven L. Hopp, Camille Kingsolver see related

Love Lifted Me

My sister Dede had a cat named Anoki.  Whenever I visited Dede in Phoenix, Anoki and I spent a lot of time together.  He remembered me between visits.  Anoki loved to sit on my lap and nip at my hand while I petted him.  At night he would curl up and sleep with me.  When he grew fat as a ham, he still slept with me - just all stretched out.  When Dede got a dog, Anoki's food had to be up high.  Anoki didn't mind - he just jumped up to eat on the second shelf.  But as Anoki aged, he could no longer jump.  Dede said he had to be airlifted to his food.  Whenever I visited, I would pick him up and sing "Love Lifted Me" as I carried him to his meal. 

The last time I saw Anoki was last year at Dede's daughter Krista's wedding.  Anoki was thin, deaf, quite the shedder and drooler, but still my friend (shedders and droolers don't always have tons of friends).  Last week, on June 3, the one year anniversary of my mother's death, Dede had Anoki put down.  He was 21 years old, and he was done. 

You were a fine kitty and a good friend, Anoki. 

Mammoth Cave

Ha - I forgot to mention Mammoth Cave.  We stopped there on the way to Louisville.  I talked to two tour guides about the pitfalls of blending claustrophia with a 2 hour tour of a cave.  Pete was ready to help me through, and I bravely went down the multitude of steps into the cool cave.  I believe I walked a full 20 feet before I had to turn back and exit stage left. 

Pete continued the tour and enjoyed it.  I spent about 45 minutes sweating and coming down from a full-fledged panic attack, and then I rested comfortably in the car until the tour came out.  The guide said to me - I think you made the right decision, Ma'am. 

Never made it to Fat Man's Misery.  But that's okay.