Talk about SHOW!!

Here is Russ leaving our driveway for an evening of driving the stretch limousine. Someone is paying $630 for a 7-hour evening of BAR-HOPPING! Despite the fact that both of us think it's ridiculous to dress up to drive a bunch of drunks around, Russ has on his newly acquired tuxedo for the evening. The concept is that it makes us look like a higher class limousine service so we will get more business, maybe a even a higher class kind of business than just "bar-hopping". I just don't understand some people's use of their income. I can see why people in other countries consider Americans decadent, even though we really aren't all that way.

Just for show

There was a time in my life when I did things for show. I was young, vain, and foolish like a lot of humans tend to be. I struggled with feelings of self-worth because I relied so heavily on how much my "show" impressed others. I tried to be smart, pretty, accomplished, multi-talented, and "popular". Now that I am older, I realize how unstable and undependable the opinions of the world can be. People that don't know me and care about me simply cannot be a good judge of my value. There is no logic to relying on them for a rating. People who do know me and care about me, know that my youthful beauty is gone but once I had some. They know I make mistakes but try hard. They know if I seem rude or thoughtless on any given day, it is either a misunderstanding on their part, or I am having a really bad day. The above photo was taken (that's Joan Dawson with me for anyone who knows her) in June 1967. I had lots of dreams about going places! Forty-two years later, the photo below shows what's important to me now.

I made little animal and flower shaped buns for family members for Christmas. I wasn't trying to impress so they would think more of me. I wanted the meal to be fun with a potential for pleasant memories for all of us. All of what we create with our hands during our earthly existence is going to some day disappear. These rolls had a very short life-span! The parties I have planned are over, the clothes I have made are mostly worn out or outgrown, the things I clean just get dirty again, and I still haven't figured out how to save this blog stuff so that will all disappear into cyberspace some day. But, hopefully, people (who have spirits that will last for eternity) who have known me, will think well of me. That's really all that matters. Their thoughts and memories will go on. I'm trying to do all that I can to have the ones that involve me be more pleasant than not.

I haven't been posting any blogs because my life has been just one day after another, one foot in front of another for the past several months. Russ and I are both doing more driving than we ever thought we would. Funny, when we were "living in our car" for a year, as we travelled around the world with our stuff in storage, we thought we drove a lot. But no, between driving to Cincinnati to take care of grandkids and developing a limousine service, we are investing in way more fossil fuel than we would like! Russ and I have discussed how we sometimes zone out on the road between here and Cincinnati to the point that we forget which part of the road we're on. We're not falling asleep or anything hazardous like that. We are aware of the traffic (an endless competition which can be really trying at times) and such. But we get lost in thoughts to help make the trip go by faster. In a way, I almost feel like that about life these days. As a kid, I remember getting so excited about upcoming events from holidays to the end of a school year to the beginning of a new school year or trips somewhere! I still can get excited about those things but it seems like I can't really plan for sure anything. I just don't know what's going to happen or what to plan on. I wonder if this is one of the after-effects of having a loved one die unexpectedly. It kind of throws your whole perspective on life and plans and expectations all out of whack! I feel like maybe I just need to keep taking one step at a time, one day at a time...... because I really don't know what I can be sure of.........other than the eventuality of death. And that can happen any time to any one. I'm not all sad and depressed in saying that. I guess I just have lost a little of my naive enthusiasm or something. Life goes on...and on.... and on... until it's over.

YAY for Spring!

I realize I may regret this in July or August when my electric bill soars as I try to keep the house less hot and humid with the air conditioner, but I AM GLAD FOR WARMER TEMPERATURES! Russ and I have traveled a bit and have agreed that we would not enjoy living in the South in the summer. I don't know if the idea of being a snowbird or whatever you call them is practical in these days of high fuel costs and the need to be more financially cautious. I have not enjoyed the 20 degrees and below temperatures of the past several months. I like being able to step out the door without tensing against the frigid air. Snow is pretty. But I like it best right around the temperature that is just cold enough to not melt it. I look forward to the blossoming of flowers and hope to get the raised granite block garden bed behind the kitchen re-built since we haven't even had ONE person come to look at the house with the possibility of buying it. There are times that a crystal ball and the ability to use it would come in very handy!

We're growing!

When we got our 2001 Dodge Intrepid 5 or 6 years ago, to replace our old Toyota Corolla, we thought we were really coming up in the world! We wanted a larger, more comfortable car for driving family and friends around who came to Utah to visit us. Now, here in Ohio our driveway is looking like a car lot with an old, rusty Ford truck, our Dodge Intrepid (which is now on its last legs but manages to keep running), a Lincoln Town Car, a Lincoln 12-passenger stretch limousine, and a 6 passenger Cadillac limousine. We are truly blessed that, despite the dismal condition of the economy and the difficulty Russ has had in getting a good job since leaving the Ithaca, NY Fire Dept., we now have the promise of a successful business. We have yet to actually take any income from this business but it continues to grow sufficiently to cover expenses. We have not had to pay anything directly out of our meager income. This spring, with lots of proms and maybe some weddings, we should take a leap ahead and pay off some of the vehicles and maybe start drawing some income. It's really nice to have that kind of economic hope right now.