Category Archives: Friends

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #22 – Happiness Is…

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Ann-Christine gave us a thought provoking prompt this week – Happiness Is… We can ask if we are happy at this point of our life. If we’re happy, what makes us happy? If we’re not, what makes us unhappy?

I’m thankful to be where I am. I’m thankful for loving relationships with family and friends. I’m thankful that I could be helpful to people with my time and energy. It’s being with people and seeing people happy that makes me happy.

Seeing Mercy, Will and Autumn is always a priceless joy.
We’re blessed with Autumn, a happy, healthy and intelligent girl.
My husband and I are thankful for good health, happy to be at home or traveling.
A great pleasure to celebrate young people’s happiness in the bridal or baby shower.
What a happiness to gather and share food, stories and laughter with long-time friends.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #22 – Happiness Is…

I have a lot of smile this past week and this post shows great reasons for my smile and happiness.

Trent’s Weekly Smile November 26, 2018

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #8: Colorful

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End of Summer Party!

Our weekly women’s group has the summer off, but we had fabulous summer breakfast gathering four times. I couldn’t go to the previous three events because I went to see my granddaughter once a month. I was glad to join the lovely ladies two Saturdays ago. The hostess did a marvelous job of decorating the tables with colorful table clothes, matching napkins and centerpieces. The vases for the centerpieces were made with fresh lemon peels (scooped out the pulp and juice).

The food was also colorful with quiche, mixed berries, slices of bacon, toast and other items I didn’t have on my plate. I had coffee and orange juice for the drink. We had a good time catching up with each others of our summer travels and news. Most of these friends have been together for more than thirty years!

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In the courtyard, the hostess has a wooden bench. The back of the bench is a one-piece carving of a colorful fruit basket.

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Nothing gives us a happier memory than having a photo taken with lovely smiles on these ladies in colorful fashion.

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Happy End of Summer, my friend around the world!

 

Please visit Tina for this week’s photographers and their colorful posts.

Tina R Schell Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #8: Colorful

 

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Memories

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I can’t believe that Randy passed away in January 2016. I still can hear his cheerful voice and his laughter. Randy was our neighbor living two doors down the street. For twelve years, he and my husband went to the gym on weekdays, mountain bike riding on weekends, and happy hours on Fridays. I went with them for happy hours because I was the designated driver. We had barbeques on holidays and spontaneous game nights.

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During the twelve years, Randy drove one and a half hours each way to take care of his ex-mother-in-law. When she was not able to care for herself, he helped to move her to a skilled nursing facility in our neighborhood and helped to sell her house. It amazed me at how a guy could take care of his ex-mother-in-law to that extent.

When he studied to take the Commercial Appraiser exam, his study materials made me dizzy. He was brilliant yet humble, accepting and non-judgmental. He kept in touch with childhood friends and held his own High School Reunion regularly.

Twenty-six months ago, Randy went on a mountain bike riding with a fellow from the gym. He had a terrible accident that smashed his head and face. He didn’t make it to the hospital. He’d be 65 years old on April 2, 2018

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Randy was my husband’s best friend. Having a best friend in the next door is a rare, once in a lifetime experience. We miss Randy!

Frank’s Dutch Goes the Photo: Tuesday Photo Challenge – Memories

SoCS February 3, 2018

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The prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “in other words.”

Last Saturday, January 27, 2018, I attended a Women’s Retreat. It was a day of reflection on our personal life in 2017. We spent the first hour leisurely charting the major events, the spiritual journey, and our insights. The following hour was sharing our charts and thoughts. The next hour was meeting in groups of three to pray for each other. We also had individual time to be alone doing the reading, meditating and writing.

The retreat was from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. held in a private home with plenty of space for small groups and individual time. The pace of the schedule was just right. I came away feeling very refreshed and peaceful, ready to face my new journey of 2018.

One precious thing I valued deeply was spending a whole hour with just three people sharing. We were not chitchatting superficial things. We shared our deep concerns and prayed with each other. It was a unique experience that I didn’t have before. It is so often when we meet, we talk about the busy events. If we don’t share our concerns, even when we talk for hours, we still go away feeling unconnected.

After the retreat, one lady and I decided to meet once a month not chitchatting but to share and listen. In other words, we want to be caring friends to each other.

Badge by J-Dub @ https://jilywily.wordpress.com/

Linda G Hill’s SoCS February 3, 2018

 

Dessert for Breakfast

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We get together with friends and have dinner or potluck at each other’s homes for many years. Many wives and some husbands know that I drink hot water instead of coffee for dinner. I can’t have dessert after a certain hour either. Caffeine and sweet simply keep me awake for hours at night. My friends take me seriously when I say I could eat dessert for breakfast. That’s the time I could eat sweet without affecting my sleep.

I went to a breakfast party lately. The hostess served me hot water instead of coffee. She knows I drink hot water, not coffee for dinner. Perhaps I failed to tell her that I could drink coffee for breakfast.

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It was a beautiful morning. I enjoyed this delightful breakfast with my coffee and dessert.

Wonderful Baby Shower

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Mercy had a fun Baby Shower on Saturday. Many friends came from near and far. The hostess was very creative in decorating her house for the party. There were several activities such as filling out a “Guessing” card, guess the gender, the weight, height, eye color of the baby. Another activity was filling out an “I Wish” card addressing to the baby of the thing they wish the baby will be or will do. After eating, Mercy opened the gifts. The person who gave the gift also gave her some advice or insight of being a mom. As part of the support, the hostess had the ladies sign up a “Meal Train” to bring meals to Mercy and Will after the baby is born. It was a successful party full of surprises and laughter.

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July 4th weekend with Mercy and Will

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My daughter Mercy and her husband Will came to see us during the July 4th, 2013 weekend.  We had a great time together.  We went to the Fullerton High School stadium to watch the firework.  Next day, we went to Laguna Beach.  We took the beach umbrella and several chairs there.  Lynton and I sat under the umbrella while Mercy and Will went swimming.  After sitting for a while, I walked over to Starbucks to get some hot chocolate and fries from another store. We had our snacks, stayed for a while longer, then decided to head home.

It was a nice day at the beach. It was not too hot or too cold, but just right!  We could not have asked for a better day to come to the beach with Mercy and Will. Perfect!

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During the same weekend, she and her husband spent some time with her childhood friend and her friend’s mom who was also my daughter’s girls scout leader.

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