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Downtown….

“When you’re alone and life is making you lonely, You can always go…Downtown” – Downtown by Petula Clark

They were small in stature but lived a big life. For my uncle and aunt, size did not matter! Both stood five-feet or less yet they enjoyed life to the fullest!

I had the honor and privilege of attending one of the more memorable services in my lifetime. What a blessing to live with your best friend, forever lover, mother of your children, and the most beautiful woman you have ever laid eyes on.

This was the love story of two people who overcame many obstacles and chose to see life as a joyous occasion no matter the circumstances.

So what is with the old pop song Downtown?

Here is my tribute to my aunt and uncle…. Continue reading “Downtown….”

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Surprise Rendezvous… (edited)

Bzzzz…. Bzzzz…

Someone was texting me. Casually I lifted the phone from my pocket to glance at the incoming text.

“I’m here. Where are you?”

Replying discreetly – “At the Red Panda.”

Slipped the phone back into my pocket before she sees me. We walked a little bit further when my phone buzzed again. I wandered away to read the message – “Where are you now?”

Replied – “Prairie Dog. Will return to the Red Panda.”

We walked back to the first exhibit. Stalling, I took a few more pictures.

She should be here any minute now – I whispered to myself.

“Well, hello!”

Continue reading “Surprise Rendezvous… (edited)”

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Back To The Future Wedding

We had the honor and privilege of attending our second wedding in two weekends. The venue was perfect for an outdoor ceremony followed by an indoor reception.

Driving on the beautiful back roads of Vacaville, California, we turned into a gravel road and were instructed to park in the open fields of this spacious ranch. Neither of us have been here before though we have driven by this location several times in the past years.

As we walked towards the crowd, we found our seats under some shade as the sun was beginning its descent. The gazebo was the focal point of the proceedings. The ceremony was concise and I am sure the family members in the first couple of rows were very thankful for that as they sat in the hot sun.

The Newlyweds!!!

As we turned our attention to the reception, I saw an old friend standing in the shadows. She was a volunteer and I knew that I would catch up with her soon. During a break before the bride and groom reappeared, I stepped outside and bumped into my friend.

Then she told me some amazing facts about the Joyful Ranch.

Continue reading “Back To The Future Wedding”

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Beauty and The Beast

I have been learning how to be a better husband and displacing my selfish needs in exchange for enhancing my wife’s life and well-being. Most men need to improve their thought process in their relationships with their wives, fiancé, or girlfriends (whichever situation you are at the present time).

So what am I doing to improve my marriage?

Dating my wife each week of course.

We spend our Wednesday afternoons enjoying each other’s company. Dates do not always have to cost money (great news guys)!

The other day, we decided to stay home and watch a movie on Netflix. We agreed to watch Beauty and The Beast as we had missed it at the theater. It was fun to see the human actors and actresses reenact the movie.

When the movie ended, something dawned on me.

Continue reading “Beauty and The Beast”

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Beautiful Bride

The day was perfect in all ways!

Recently, the weather in our local region had been unpredictable. Temperatures into the high-90’s were sometimes replaced with blustery afternoons. Planning an outdoor wedding would stress any couple during this time of year.

It was my honor to witness a very special wedding this past weekend. Who says that a large wedding is reserved only for the younger people. Why not a loving couple who cultivated a long-standing friendship for twenty-plus years and surrounded by friends and family who have been a part of their lives and long-term relationship?

Well, that is exactly what happened this past Saturday afternoon.

Continue reading “Beautiful Bride”

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Drive Down Memory Lane

A wonderful thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks to social media, I was able to reconnect with an old friend from 25+ years ago – gosh, am I really getting that old???

We agreed to meet at a coffee shop (name begins with an “S”) at the old town where our families first met years ago. I had moved away in 20001 so for me, it appeared that there was a lot of changes including this coffee shop we had our get-together.

The conversation flowed easily as we reminisced about old friends and marveled at how our sons had each grown up into young adults. He learned about the loss of my first wife as he remembered her kindness and personality. Though we both looked a bit more “filled-out”, the familiarity was so comforting.

Soon it was time to depart as my friend had a patient to see. We exchanged goodbyes and as I walked to my car, a thought came to mind. Why not drive down Refugio Valley Road to the old house and see what has changed.

With a smile, I started my engine and proceeded to the old familiar route… Continue reading “Drive Down Memory Lane”

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Overwhelmed By Cold, Temporary Problems

Have you ever felt buried by problems and circumstances in your life?

Just like this tree overwhelmed by the copious amounts of snow at Lake Tahoe last month, I can identify with this crown. Problems seem to pile up at times and just like this tree, I struggle to keep my head above water (so to speak).

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The good news is that when the snow melts in the spring or early summer, it will be standing tall to provide shade and a safe haven for nature as in past seasons.

Have you thought about how the base of the tree reacts to the freezing temperature of the packed snow? Do you ever feel that your problems seem to freeze you in a position that disables you from moving forward?

Continue reading “Overwhelmed By Cold, Temporary Problems”