My husband is irritated at me. I'm not sure why, probably some offhand comment I made and then forgot about immediately. I have a bad habit of that.
Anyway, I was pondering the reason why and then thinking about our life together in general. We've gone through some hard times and conversely - just as many great times.
I met Bruce when I was 16 years old. We both worked at the same little hamburger joint. He was a cook and I was a waitress. He was in his first year of Junior college and I was still in high school. I think my mother thought that working would teach me some lessons about the reality of life since I had never really done much of anything before that...coasted through school...hung out with friends...the usual teenage stuff.
Anyway, I noticed the guy in the kitchen. He was very quiet and shy, but seemed to have a lot on the ball since he was going to college. One thing lead to another and we were married the next year while I was still a senior in high school. Immediately upon my graduation, I became pregnant with our first child, Steven Andrew.
Bruce went to school when he could and worked to support us. It was during the Viet Nam era and he lost his student deferment. He was going to be drafted into the Army, so he decided to join the Air Force, thinking he would have a little better chance of getting the schooling he wanted and hopefully, staying out of Viet Nam. When Steven was 2 months old this little 19 year old girl saw her husband off for basic training. I lived with my parents with the idea that it was just temporary and I would join Bruce as soon as he finished basic training. That wasn't to be. The Air Force quickly realized how brilliant he was and schooled him in the Intelligence field working with the elite. He had just one month at home after schooling before he was shipped off to Korea for a year. We left for Georgia after that year thinking we would be there for the duration of his enlistment, but after just a few months he was shipped off to Guam for another tour. I could list all our comings and goings after that, but it would be very long. He managed to get an early release and we moved to San Luis Obispo, California so he could attend school on the G.I. bill. In looking back I'm not sure exactly how we managed on the small amount he received each month, but we did. Our daughter Amy Catherine joined us during these years so my time was spent caring for the children and home while he studied. He routinely carried over 20 credits of classes and made the dean's list each term.
When he graduated he accepted a position with the Federal Highway Administration in the bridge section. We lived in Nevada, Kansas, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa and finally in Oregon where he retired after a great career with the Federal Government. He retired from the feds on Friday, and went to work for the State of Oregon on Monday. During our time in Iowa, we added 2 more children to our family - Kevin Matthew and Kerry Elizabeth.
Bruce continued with school even after he started his career and managed to get his masters degree as well as take care of his family and work full time. He has always had a work ethic that is admirable to say the least. Just like his father before him, he rarely spends time just being idle. He has accomplished much. He is very well respected in his field and sits on several boards and committees in addition to his 'regular' job. His job(s) have given him opportunity for travel that very few people are privileged to do. It's safe to say he is internationally respected in his field.
He has given me a good life. I've been able to stay home and raise our children and then when I chose to - work outside the home. I've been able to travel to places I never dreamed of when I was a little girl. I always thought I'd live next door to my parents and family forever.
I've written long enough for now, but as with all my posts thus far, I've only scratched the surface....
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
I've had a great deal of fun this week deciding how to spend my winnings. It's amazing how much fun it is to spend 'free' money. So far I've purchased a new printer, a shredder, some decorative items, and the best of all...a new vacuum.
This isn't just 'any' vacuum. Its a Dyson. When I made the decision that this was something I really needed I did a little research and found the least expensive place to purchase it was at Costco. I excitedly drove to Costco and found a parking place - NOT an easy thing to do - and walked into the store with single-minded purpose. I loaded the box into my cart and started to wheel it to the checkout. I noticed immediately the glances and looks of downright envy from several of the other shoppers as I made my way forward. Several women commented on my purchase, one even stopped me on my way out to tell me how jealous she was of my new equipment.
I was happy and anxious to get home and try it out. I dragged the large box into the house and proceeded to open it As I tipped back the cardboard lid, I swear I heard an angel chorus. This is the epitome of household equipment! Just about the only thing it won't do is cook supper. OK, perhaps thats an exaggeration - but it is AWESOME. I'm a fairly mechanically inclined person, but even I had to resort to actually reading the instructions, but read I did. Then...I was ready.
I plugged it into an outlet and gave the on/off switch a test. The motor roared into action. I quickly turned it off, my heart beating rapidly. The excitement was almost more than I could take. I had to decide which carpet to clean first! I decided on the living room. I moved into the room and switched the machine on again. Wow! This thing could even pick up dirt from a clean rug! I moved on to another room, each time being amazed at what I was seeing in the clear plastic recepticle. My household tool had made my gloomy day into a blazing victory of gleaming surfaces.
But, with great technology comes great responsibility. It has been a few days now and every time a crumb ends up on the carpet, I feel compeled to vacuum. I'm hoping that, like any new 'toy', the newness will wear off. And soon. My time-saving device is taking up all my time.
Go figure.
This isn't just 'any' vacuum. Its a Dyson. When I made the decision that this was something I really needed I did a little research and found the least expensive place to purchase it was at Costco. I excitedly drove to Costco and found a parking place - NOT an easy thing to do - and walked into the store with single-minded purpose. I loaded the box into my cart and started to wheel it to the checkout. I noticed immediately the glances and looks of downright envy from several of the other shoppers as I made my way forward. Several women commented on my purchase, one even stopped me on my way out to tell me how jealous she was of my new equipment.
I was happy and anxious to get home and try it out. I dragged the large box into the house and proceeded to open it As I tipped back the cardboard lid, I swear I heard an angel chorus. This is the epitome of household equipment! Just about the only thing it won't do is cook supper. OK, perhaps thats an exaggeration - but it is AWESOME. I'm a fairly mechanically inclined person, but even I had to resort to actually reading the instructions, but read I did. Then...I was ready.
I plugged it into an outlet and gave the on/off switch a test. The motor roared into action. I quickly turned it off, my heart beating rapidly. The excitement was almost more than I could take. I had to decide which carpet to clean first! I decided on the living room. I moved into the room and switched the machine on again. Wow! This thing could even pick up dirt from a clean rug! I moved on to another room, each time being amazed at what I was seeing in the clear plastic recepticle. My household tool had made my gloomy day into a blazing victory of gleaming surfaces.
But, with great technology comes great responsibility. It has been a few days now and every time a crumb ends up on the carpet, I feel compeled to vacuum. I'm hoping that, like any new 'toy', the newness will wear off. And soon. My time-saving device is taking up all my time.
Go figure.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
This has been an interesting weekend. For me anyway.
Bruce is in Washington,D.C. doing whatever it is he does there (OK, I'll admit I know some of it, but not all of it.) So, anyway, I decided it was a good time to see if I was brave enough to stay out at the beach house all by myself. I arrived about 11:00 a.m. and went directely down to the basement to turn up the hot water. The basement is clean but very very dark...especially when you're all alone! I did that with no problem. I unpacked some things I brought with me and settled in. I cleaned for awhile (it's actually fun to clean a clean house.) I went down to the outlet mall and made the rounds, went home for lunch and then decided on an outing. I took a small amount of money with me because I planned to eat while I was out, also. The beach was awesome because of a minus tide (LOTS more sand to walk on a minus tide) so I walked for awhile. Then I decided to go to the casino. I knew I'd be fine because I didn't have much money with me. I walked in and started cruising the machines until I found one that called to me. It was a penny machine. I played that for a good while and got my pennies up to $124.00. That was pretty cool, so I cashed out with the idea of going home MUCH ahead of where I started. I was on my way out when I saw a triple-diamond machine. I need to explain at this time that my mom always had a 'thing' for the diamond machines ( probably because she had a 'thing' for diamonds.) So in honor of my mother I decided to play $20 of my winnings in that machine. I sat down and started to get comfortable before my first bet, then I hit the button. Lights flashed and sirens blared. I thought I had broken the machine somehow, then there was a woman floor worker beside me telling me congratulations. I wasn't sure exactly what she was congratulating me for, because it all happened so fast. Turns out I had won $1500 on that one pull! I played out the rest of the $20 while I waited for the paperwork (tax forms) and fended off some overly friendly people who wanted some of my 'luck' to rub off on them. It seemed prudent to leave while I was ahead so I did. I went home, opened a can of beef stew and toasted my win with a diet coke.
Winning is fun.
Bruce is in Washington,D.C. doing whatever it is he does there (OK, I'll admit I know some of it, but not all of it.) So, anyway, I decided it was a good time to see if I was brave enough to stay out at the beach house all by myself. I arrived about 11:00 a.m. and went directely down to the basement to turn up the hot water. The basement is clean but very very dark...especially when you're all alone! I did that with no problem. I unpacked some things I brought with me and settled in. I cleaned for awhile (it's actually fun to clean a clean house.) I went down to the outlet mall and made the rounds, went home for lunch and then decided on an outing. I took a small amount of money with me because I planned to eat while I was out, also. The beach was awesome because of a minus tide (LOTS more sand to walk on a minus tide) so I walked for awhile. Then I decided to go to the casino. I knew I'd be fine because I didn't have much money with me. I walked in and started cruising the machines until I found one that called to me. It was a penny machine. I played that for a good while and got my pennies up to $124.00. That was pretty cool, so I cashed out with the idea of going home MUCH ahead of where I started. I was on my way out when I saw a triple-diamond machine. I need to explain at this time that my mom always had a 'thing' for the diamond machines ( probably because she had a 'thing' for diamonds.) So in honor of my mother I decided to play $20 of my winnings in that machine. I sat down and started to get comfortable before my first bet, then I hit the button. Lights flashed and sirens blared. I thought I had broken the machine somehow, then there was a woman floor worker beside me telling me congratulations. I wasn't sure exactly what she was congratulating me for, because it all happened so fast. Turns out I had won $1500 on that one pull! I played out the rest of the $20 while I waited for the paperwork (tax forms) and fended off some overly friendly people who wanted some of my 'luck' to rub off on them. It seemed prudent to leave while I was ahead so I did. I went home, opened a can of beef stew and toasted my win with a diet coke.
Winning is fun.
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