Eye Candy Friday

September 18, 2015 By Carole

Sometimes when Dale works with the band he brings me a treat. A piece of wedding cake. An extra favor. One time he even brought home bathrobes for the whole family (that’s a long story). Last Saturday night the guys played a wedding and Dale brought home 3 centerpieces for me.

I have one bouquet in the dining room, one in the living room and one in the kitchen. They still look great and they make me smile when I look at them – because they are pretty, yes, but mostly because it’s thoughtful of Dale to bring those home to me. To take the time to pack them up and put them in the truck, all the while thinking of me and knowing how pleased I will be to wake up in the morning and find this little treat waiting for me. A simple gesture that makes me feel loved.

Speaking of feeling loved, Dale will be the guest writer on the blog on Monday. You know what that means, right? It’s that time again.

Have a great weekend, I’ll be hanging out with some of my favorite people and beginning the celebration of another trip around the sun.

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

September 3, 2015 By Carole

Today my daughter Hannah is 23 years old. 23. Twenty.three. I keep typing it and looking at it, with my head cocked a little to the side and trying to make it be real somehow. Because, really, wasn’t this:

Just a few years ago?

No?

In truth that was 22 years ago. She was just over a year old and she loved to go through the house and clean for me. Too bad that stage didn’t last, right?

And here she is now. What a year it’s been since her last birthday! She has graduated from college – summa cum laude, in case you hadn’t heard. She has been to Oxford – she got an A in her class, by the way. She has been to Wales and London and has traveled by herself to Iceland. She has gotten a full time job as a Special Education teacher. As if all of that wasn’t enough, she also has a boyfriend now. (Mama is adjusting.)

To say we are proud would be an understatement. To say that we are so happy to see her thriving and seeing her dreams come true, both professionally and personally, would be the absolute truth.

She is smart and kind, caring and creative, beautiful and silly and my heart just sort of explodes when I think about how much I love her.

Won’t you join me and wish my girlie a happy birthday? Thanks, guys.

Weekending, Birthday Style

June 29, 2015 By Carole

As I’m sure many of you suspected, we went away for the weekend to celebrate Dale’s birthday. We are so fortunate to have friends who are very generous and willing to share their cottage on West Island with us. Since we have been to the island last they sold their other place and moved to a new one. We adored their other house so we were very curious to see the new one – we knew something about it had to be really special in order to entice them to make the change.

And we were right. That view is spectacular. Sitting on their deck and watching the sunset play across the water was such a treat.

There were other treats, too. Treats like birthday cupcakes.

And watching a wedding take place across the way. The couple drove back to the reception, which was right down the street from us, in an 1932 roadster, with the bridal party in convertibles and the wedding guests in a school bus. How fun is that?

Other treats including bike rides and beach visits.

Cocktails and lobster rolls and great music at the local watering hole.

Games and music and hikes across the rocks and the wonderful satisfying feeling that comes from spending uninterrupted time with the one you love.

I can’t think of a better way to have celebrated Dale’s birthday.

Happy 64th Birthday, Dale!

June 26, 2015 By Carole

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Eye Candy Friday for this breaking news: It’s Dale’s birthday today. Okay, it’s not really breaking news since I told you about it yesterday but it is an interruption of my usual Friday post.

First, the photo mosaic. All pictures of Dale taken since his last birthday.

And second, the perfect song for today.

When I’m Sixty Four

When I get older losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a valentine
Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I’d been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four?

You’ll be older too
And if you say the word
I could stay with you

I could be handy, mending a fuse
When your lights have gone
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings go for a ride
Doing the garden, digging the weeds
Who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage in the Isle of Wight
If it’s not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck & Dave

Send me a postcard, drop me a line
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, wasting away
Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I’m sixty-four?
Ho!

And third, my answer.

YES, I will still need you, feed you, love you and cherish you, forever and always.

Happy Birthday, Dale. And here’s to 64 more!

Throwback Thursday: This One’s For Dale

June 25, 2015 By Carole

In honor of Throwback Thursday and in celebration of Dale’s birthday, which is tomorrow, I’m sharing this picture of Dale’s mom, Ruthie, with her 3 boys. (Okay, she eventually wound up with 4 boys and a girl but these were the children she had at this time. Work with me here.)

It was taken in September 1951 at Kozy Kamp Hideaway Village – not that I have any idea where that is. My mother-in-law, gawd love her, was really good about writing on the back of photos. That’s how I know where this was taken and when. It’s also how I know that Randy, the oldest, is 2 1/2 years, Glen is 20 months, and Dale, the baby, is 2 1/2 months. That’s right. 3 boys in 3 1/2 years. And would you just look at her? She looks happy. And like the picture of health with her big smile and her long legs crossed at the ankles. The boys are clean and dressed and smiling and Dale, well, he looks a little milk drunk, but that’s to be expected given his age. I’d be willing to bet the photo was taken by Dale’s dad, Jack, and that would probably account for the looks of adoration on their faces. Well, except for Dale because he’s oblivious. And milk drunk.

I love this photo for a million reasons but mostly for the glimpse it gives me of Dale’s earliest days. He was blessed to be born into a loving family with amazing and supportive parents. They camped and hiked and traveled. They worked hard and played harder. They loved each other and their kids fiercely and set an example that all 5 of their children strive to live up to every day.

Good people, I tell you, and I’m grateful that they raised Dale to be the man he is. So, on Dale’s almost birthday, I just want to say thanks to Ruthie and Jack. You raised a fine man.