This is Z Life

Pieces of April

2010-04-21T10:08:00.004-05:00

April brings changes. Changes that I love.

Green. Lots of it. Bare branches begin budding, then shooting forth tiny green leaves and before I know it green is everywhere. The trees and the grasses sport a lovely shade of green that I remember from my boxes of Crayola crayons from my childhood, aptly named "spring green."

Blue sky. Unclouded days. The gray of winter has lifted. Knowing that the summer haze will be here all too soon, I relish the bright, vivid, blue hue of the heavens. "Look how blue the sky is!" Tim and I frequently exclaim to each other.

Birdsong. I especially love to wake to the sound of the birds singing at the farm where we sleep with our bedroom window open once the gentle spring rains have washed the pollen from the air. And in the evening, the lonesome coo of the dove, the hoot of the owl and the call of the whippoorwill.

The birds, themselves. Such a variety. Robins, bluebirds, and woodpeckers are a few that I readily recognize. Tim and I have fun searching in our Sibley's Guide to Birds, trying to identify the lovely winged creatures. A few days ago Tim caught sight of a group of whippoorwills and the first hummingbird of the year.

The Canada Geese have been on the pond for weeks. Now Mother Goose, as we call her, sits on her nest. "Sarge," the name we long ago gave to Father Goose, patrols the pond and field around it, alert, on the lookout for any danger.

Flowers. Both the blossoms on the trees and the flowers growing everywhere, cultivated in yards and gardens in town, wild in the wide open expanses of country fields.

I especially love the wisteria; there has been an abundance of it this year, both in town and in the country, where it grows with wild abandon, its purple flowers climbing high up into the trees and enveloping ancient abandoned farmhouses.

Some of my other favorites include the orange masses of tulips nested in beds of purple violas and pansies in my brother and sister-in-law's garden.

And of course, azaleas. The massive banks of their delicate flowers, in a variety of pinks, reds, purples, and white, blanketing the fronts of the houses in our neighborhood.

Sunshine. Still not too hot most of the day. Perfect on the uncovered front deck on mornings at the farm or filtered through the lacy, green branches of the trees, gently warming me as I lie in the hammock on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Drinking steaming coffee on a cool morning on the back deck at the farm, the gentle breeze tinkling the wind chimes.

Fishing. Although Tim and I begin fishing at the farm in March, in April the temperature is just right. Warm in the day, chilly enough for a wrap in the evening. It feels so good to be outside again, strolling through the green, green grass down to the pond. Casting out and reeling in fish so quickly that we lose count. John joined us on a recent weekend and we were all three pulling in fish at the same time. It was exciting!

Watching the setting sun cast a pink glow over the Ozark foothills as we eat dinner on the deck at the end of a glorious spring day.

April. It's one of my favorite months of the year. The earth comes to life after the cold, bare winter. It brings cheer to my heart.

Gabe's First Year

2010-03-14T19:58:00.015-05:00

photos above and one below by kaylie long photography kaylielong.blogspot.com

A boy is Truth with dirt on its face,
Beauty with a cut on its finger,
Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair,
And the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.
Author Unknown

Gabe is growing up - fast! Transforming from a cuddly baby into a wiggly toddler, he is all boy! And pure joy.

These pictures chronicle his growth during his first year of life.

Sweet newborn, so fresh from God

three photos above by erica fricks photography

First Easter

Paci - fied

Harley man

Taking a dip

Look who's in charge around here!

First campmeeting at FPC

Pumpkin patch gent

First Christmas

Checking out Santa

Shopping wears a man out!

Hammin' it up

Little charmer

On the move. Watch out - he's a fast one!

two photos above by kaylie long photography kaylielong.blogspot.com

Into the future. Gabe is in good hands with two godly parents, Tim and Lauren, to guide his steps.

photo by kaylie long photography kaylielong.blogspot.com

The past year has been a big one for this young family. During Gabe's first year of life, Daddy became a pastor and Mommy a pastor's wife. They are following the highest calling on this earth.

We don't get to see them as much as we'd like. But we hold them in our hearts and follow them in our prayers.

Happy Birthday, Gabe!

2010-03-13T15:15:00.007-06:00

The paparazzi were out in full force on Thursday evening in the front fellowship hall of FPC of NLR. Iphones and cameras of all shapes and sizes were trained on the evening's celebrity as the photographers closely followed his every move. Flashes of light that would bedazzle even the most seasoned of stars lit up the room. Even though he came to recognition only a year ago, the star of the show took everything in stride. He has become accustomed to adoring looks, outstretched arms, smooches, belly tickles, snuggly hugs, and flashing cameras wherever he shows up.

Who is this famous person and what was the event?

It was none other than Gabe Adams! And the social event of the season was the celebration of his first birthday!

Proud parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and a host of family and friends of all ages gathered to celebrate. Gabe is loved!

Proud Daddy

Various other celebrities arrived throughout the evening. This little darling arrived on the arm of her father. None other than Miss Mary Grace herself!

Another little doll, Miss Brooklyn, was also present for the festivities in Gabe's honor.

A tropical sock monkey theme provided a backdrop for the festive atmosphere.

Gabe's personal cake was a smaller version of the large one. Both were created by Mommy and Aunt Karen.

Gettin' some lovin'

Cake time

Hmmm . . .

This is good stuff!

Finger-lickin' good!

Can't get too much of a good thing!

Get up . . .

Let's boogie!

Sweet cousin, Rylie

And cousin Chloe

Presents are the best part!

Happy Birthday, Gabe! You da man!

Tim and I love you so much!

Our First Cruise

2010-03-07T21:41:00.008-06:00

On January 31, Tim and I boarded the Norwegian Spirit in New Orleans and embarked on our first cruise. Although we enjoy traveling and have several friends who cruise on a regular basis, we just didn't know if cruising was for us. We came really close to trying it out when we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in August, 2006. We talked with a travel agent who specialized in Alaskan cruises and considered booking one. However, in the end, we flew to Anchorage, rented a motor home and spent two weeks driving around seeing some of the beauty of Alaska. We had a great time and just didn't think we would have enjoyed a cruise as much.

However, a cruise to a warm spot in the middle of winter did have a certain appeal to us. On January 1st of this year, I got online and looked at cruise specials for February. A southern girl, I don't have a high tolerance for the cold. By February, generally our coldest month, I am so ready for some warmth and sunshine. February 1st is my birthday, and I thought it would be nice to spend it in a warmer location. As it turned out, I found what looked like some great deals. I consulted with Mardot; she and her husband, Joel, have been on a number of cruises, and she assured me that the cruise I had in mind was an excellent value. Tim said, "Book it, Honey!" And the planning began.

Here's a map of the itinerary

Mardot turned out to be my personal cruise advisor. She sent me a number of texts with cruise tips, things she wished they had known on their first cruise. I copied and pasted them to my notebook on my iphone. By the time we were ready to depart, I had a virtual booklet. I told Mardot she should write a book, "Cruising for Dummies." The tips were all helpful and made our trip more enjoyable.

Central Arkansas got an ice storm before we left home. Then a little snow on top. We get excited about snow here because we generally get so little.

Here's Tim feeding the birds in our yard before we left.

Although the ice had started melting off by the time we departed Little Rock, there was still a quite a bit of it on the roads. I was glad when we got a little farther south where the roads were clear. Even at that point, we noticed the trees were still coated with ice.

Here's a tree in Pine Bluff at a catfish restaurant where we ate.

It was cold in N'awlins! The passengers boarding the ship were dressed in just about every conceivable manner. Some looked like they had already arrived in the tropics with their lightweight clothing, bare legs, and sandals. Others were bundled up against the cold. We fell into the second group.

Enjoying the view of New Orleans from the top deck

Tug boat on the might Mississippi

My Sweet Baby bought roses for me at dinner the first night on the ship.

The next morning we donned lightweight clothing and headed to the top deck to eat and to explore the ship. It was windy up there! And chilly! I decided to change into something warmer until we reached our first port of call the next day.

Since this day was to be spent at sea and it was my birthday after all, I indulged in a hot stone massage, a fire and ice manicure, and a fire and ice pedicure in the spa. What a treat! I began to think I might like this cruising thing after all. Meanwhile Tim worked out in the gym.

This cute little fellow greeted us when we returned to our cabin at some point that day.

In the evening we had dinner at the French restaurant. Tim, always so thoughtful, had requested a special birthday cake for me. The waitstaff at this restaurant were extra special. Our waitress that night (on the right in the picture below) regaled us with stories of life in Colombia. I don't think it's a place I want to visit.

There were 70-something nationalities represented among the employees on the ship. These people spend up to ten months of the year away from their families while working on the ship. They have one day off each week while in port. Another half day on embarkation day. One lady working in the buffet restaurant was looking forward to getting home soon to see her little girl. I enjoyed hearing some of the unusual names of the staff. The young lady who brought the roses to our table the first evening was Perpetual; she was from India. The girl who did my massage was Gemma. The young lady from Jamaica who did my manicure and pedicure was Sunny. Another sweet young lady in the spa was Tutaro.

On the second morning, we awoke to sunny skies, blue seas, and the sight of another cruise ship along ours pulling into port at Costa Maya, Mexico. Time to get off the ship!

We relaxed while we waited for our shore excursion to begin.

And had our picture made with this squirrel monkey. He was so cute.

It was so good to see my Sweet Baby relax. He works so hard.

We had booked a dune buggy beach safari. Tim was excited; he envisioned an adventurous drive over large sandy dunes. I was a bit hesitant about this adventure, mainly because I have been on some wild rides with Tim. The wilder the better as far as he's concerned. But, that's another story for another time. The fact that it was a safari type tour with guides reassured me that the ride probably wouldn't be so wild that I couldn't handle it.

Our guides, Omar and Adrian, were enthusiastic and fun. They wanted to be sure all of us had a good time.

The dune buggies were painted in bright, tropical colors.

The pink one in front of us was my favorite color.

Tim was raring to go!

At the first stop Adrian used a machete to prepare fresh coconuts for us to drink from.

The coconut milk was delicious - and refreshing! Later, at our main stop, they scooped out the coconut meat for us to eat. Poor Tim only got a small piece. I hogged it - it was that good!

There was a neat little outdoor bar where we bought cold water. The bright sun was hot!

Omar explained that this area had been ravaged by a major hurricane three years ago. It sounded like he said "Hurricane Tim," but because of his accent we couldn't be sure. We got a laugh out of that!

Driving through the village of Mahahual

Our main stop was at a beach resort where we enjoyed a tasty snack: fresh fruit, salsa with chips, and rice and beans. One of the ladies behind the counter had a parrot perched on her shoulder.

Tim and I took a walk along the beach and then enjoyed a little siesta.

The view from my hammock - ahhh . . . . Blue skies, sunshine, and gently waving palm trees - in February!

Mexican recycling - even in a remote resort. I made this picture for a special friend - you know who you are :)

Riding through the Mexican jungle

We saw a monkey somewhere along the way.

Some of the sights outside of the village of Mahahual, just outside Costa Maya.

Note the satellite dish

A curious little observer. We saw so many precious children on this cruise. I wanted to scoop them up and bring them home with me.

After our adventure, we returned to our balcony where we watched the sun set as we departed Costa Maya.

We just thought that was an adventurous day! If we only knew what awaited us upon our arrival in Guatamala the following morning . . . .

John's Birthday Party

2010-02-21T16:15:00.001-06:00

John had a happy birthday - can you tell?

Tim and I took John to brunch at Ashley's after church on Sunday morning. He had a good time with Mom and Dad.

But the real fun was Sunday night after church when three great friends, Nathalie, Kyle, and Beau threw a party for John at his house.

Kyle and Beau's parents made venison chili with the deer Beau killed at the farm at Christmas. Belva brought some awesome brownies. She gave me the recipe. Thanks, Belva :)

Nathalie's mom, Ericka, manned the kitchen.

The guys played ping-pong. Of course.

The girls talked and talked some more - they are girls, after all.

We older girls talked too - we are still girls, after all.

Some of the guys played guitar in one room while the cd player blared contemporary Christian music in another room.

It was loud - and lots of fun!

Did I mention the girls talked. They laughed, squealed, and hammed it up for the camera. Did I mention that they are girls, after all?

They decided to call John in from a ping-pong game to get his picture made with the group. They didn't have to ask him twice :)

Nick enjoyed the attention everyone gave him, especially a special little lady by the name of Mary Grace.

It sure made this mom feel so good to know that her boy has good friends who love him and care enough about him to throw him a party. Thanks to all of you who came.

I'm so sorry I didn't get pictures of everyone. I only had my iphone camera, and the battery finally went dead. I'm especially sorry I didn't get pics of Kyle and Beau.

And Belva and Sherm, that picture of us? It didn't turn out good, so I didn't post it. Trust me on this.

Fun time. Good memories.

Happy Valentine Birthday #26, John!

2010-02-14T01:00:00.003-06:00

Whether cherubic angel . . .

Or mischievous boy . . .

Through these 26 years, you've brought us much joy.

Happy Birthday, John!

We love you!

Mom and Dad

Happy Valentine's, Tim!

2010-02-13T18:45:00.002-06:00

How sweet it is to be loved by you!

We Have a Winner!

2010-02-13T18:28:00.000-06:00

We have a winner in the "Name These People Photo Contest". Eva (Halbrook) Pierce correctly identified everyone in the first picture. They are as follows:

Top row, left to right, standing: Susan Brockinton Zimmerman (yours truly), several have confirmed what I thought about the next girl whom I did not include in the contest because I was unsure of her identity - it's Cindy Haney, then Doug Smith, and Kitty Ott.

Seated in the grass: The young man with his hand over his face is Dewayne Seigrist, the young ladies are Karen Dollar Gibson, Margaret Davis Echols, Faith Holmes Cavin, and Rachel Haney Smith.

Thanks to those of you who participated!

Eva has asked that I donate the giftcard to someone, and I have already selected that person. She is a very special friend of mine.

Can anyone guess the identity of the lady in the blue dress in the second picture?

Happy Birthday, Mardot! AND "Name These People" Photo Contest

2010-02-13T12:35:00.002-06:00

This post has a two-fold purpose: to wish my dear, dear friend Mardot a happy birthday and, as the title indicates, to have a photo contest.

Today is Mardot's birthday. We have been friends for 36 years. You may find that hard to believe, but we've been friends practically since infancy :) A truer friend than Mardot would be hard to find. She has walked with me through the sunshine and through the storms of life.

If you're a local reader and are wondering who Mardot is, you should know that Mardot is what John called her when he was a little boy, and Mardot she has been to us ever since. Her real name is Margaret.

Mardot is like Tim in that she really doesn't like to have attention drawn to her, but I hope she will know that I am doing this post because I love her and want to do a little something special for her on this blog on her special day.

I have an old picture of the two of us somewhere, but when I searched through my pictures I couldn't find it. The photo above is the only old photo (okay - really old) I could come up with. This picture was made in the mid 70's. Mardot is there. Along with some other people you local readers know.

So, here's the contest: Be the first person to correctly identify everyone in the photo above and I will send you a Starbucks gift card for $5. Or a gift card, in the same amount, to the AP Cafe, if you prefer.

That's everyone in the photo above with the exception of the girl to the right of the girl in the red top at the left of the picture. I think I recognize her, but I'm not sure, so we won't count her.

Here's another picture below to give you a little more help with the lady in the red top on the right side of the first picture. This picture below was made on the same day after we finally got to Petit Jean.

Bonus: In addition to identifying everyone in the top picture, if you also identify the lady in the blue dress in the picture below, I'll up the gift card to $7. That will get you a good lunch at the AP Cafe :)

Note to readers who are not familiar with the AP Cafe: It is located at First Pentecostal Church of North Little Rock. It is between Building One and Building Two. You can park in the circle drive in front and walk straight up the sidewalk to the doors to the cafe. It is much better than Starbucks! Great value and a fun atmosphere. Noisy dining in front, quiet dining in back. Or you can order to go. (Just had to put in a plug for AP Cafe here). Oh, and AP stands for "After Prayer". The church is open for prayer 24/7. I sometimes call the cafe BP and AP because I eat, or snack, twice.

I guess this post turned out to have three purposes instead of two: (1) Happy Birthday, Mardot! (2) Photo Contest (3) plug for the AP Cafe.

But the most important one: Happy Birthday, Mardot! I love you, my friend!

They Made My Day!

2010-02-12T21:17:00.001-06:00

When I went to CA today, the first-graders had a surprise for me. They were so excited as we walked down the hall from the first grade classroom to our Reading Resort. "Close your eyes!" called out Sterling. When I opened the door, here's what I found:

Handmade valentines, a chic eyeglass case embroidered with an "S."

I don't know who was more excited, the children or me! I was surprised - and pleased!

I love these kids! They are a bright spot in my life!

Thank you, Candy and the CA first graders. You made my day!

Our Ride

2010-02-09T11:14:00.000-06:00

Our ride last week in sunny Costa Maya, Mexico

Our ride six days later, the day after we returned home

Variety is the spice of life!

February!

2010-01-31T08:50:00.000-06:00

February. It has a reputation, yes it does. And, it's not all good. Folks around these parts say it's cold and dreary and hangs on too long.

I love February. It's not only the month of my birth, but it's the month of my son's birth. John was born on a cold February morning on Valentine's day. Two weeks early. That makes a special holiday even more special!

Hope you enjoy the February header on "This is Z Life" this month.

Meanwhile, it has been a little cold and dreary. Tim and I are headed out for parts warm and sunny today. Our internet access will be very limited. I'll be back here on "Z life" next week. See you then!

Snow, Beautiful Snow!

2010-01-30T08:00:00.003-06:00

Here's another "wayback" snow picture in honor of our snowfall here in central Arkansas. Here's my little boy digging in the snow with a big spoon. I remember he had his Tonka dump truck and had so much much fun "excavating" in the snow.

What a difference time makes. My boy called me last night and told me he and some friends are going sledding this morning on a hill where his friend says they can get up to about 45 miles an hour. Is that possible sledding down a big hill? I don't think I want to know.

Snow is fun for us in this area of the country because it's so rare. It's a magical event. During the five years I lived in Kansas as a young bride, snow lost its magic for me because it was a part of daily life from November to spring.

I remember the first day it snowed when I began teaching at Cessna Elementary in Wichita. Outside my classroom window that morning huge snowflakes began falling fast and furiously. As they continued to fall and the snow began spreading a thick, soft blanket on the ground, I waited for the principal to get on the intercom and tell us that school was being dismissed. It didn't happen. It snowed all day. School was dismissed at four o'clock. I trudged through the drifts, struggling to keep my balance. I remember using a broom to sweep the snow off my car. I don't even remember where I got the broom. I'm sure a co-worker had compassion on the naive, young teacher from the south. I finally got settled in my car and slowly started across the parking lot, only to lose control and began sliding dangerously. I remember that when I got stopped I burst into tears and said aloud to the empty car, "I don't know how to drive in this stuff." Somehow I made it home that day, and over the course of the next few months I learned to drive in that "stuff."

When John was a toddler, I ran a home preschool program out of our house. Tim traveled on business most of the week, and I was home alone with a house full of kids. Couldn't get out. Too many kids for one car, and the weather was bad so much of the winter. We had a chunk of ice in a shady area in our front yard that stayed there from about Thanksgiving until the following spring. I would look out and see that ice and wonder if spring would ever come.

To those of you here in central Arkansas, I hope you make some wonderful memories in the snow today. Or, if you prefer, just curl up with a good book and have a cozy day as you look out at the magical white world.

White Stuff/Way Back

2010-01-29T13:56:00.002-06:00

In honor of the white stuff coming down here in central Arkansas, I interrupt the series "The Blog Posts in my Head" to bring you a "way back" picture from more than twenty years ago.

John was four years old. We got a big snow, which is rare for this area. Then, if I remember correctly, it didn't snow again in central Arkansas for seven years.

That white stuff coming down out there is not pretty, fluffy snow. It's ice. But, maybe there will be some good sledding :)

The Blog Posts in My Head, Part 2: Scott's Graduation

2010-01-28T22:45:00.002-06:00

These pictures are from the trip we took last June that I actually DID post about. After we left NYC, we headed out for Pequannock, New Jersey, about 40 minutes away, where Tim's sister and her family live. Tim's dad and stepmom were there too, and we all had a great time together during Scott's high school graduation weekend. I like the picture below, on the football field after the ceremony, because Tim's dad is with both of his children and all of his grandchildren, which is a pretty rare occurrence.

Three generations of good looking Zimmerman men:)

Our darling niece, Christina, and her bunny with Grandad, the night before graduation, when Jane and Steve hosted a family party for Scott at their home.

This is Tom, or Pop-pop, as Jane and Steve's kids call their other grandfather, Steve's dad. We love Tom. He's always fun to be around. Upbeat, well-read, down to earth. Great conversationalist.

It was chilly, so the guys built a fire and we sat around it and sipped on hot tea and coffee and had a cozy chat. John and his cousins got online to look for good deals on cars.

On graduation day, we went outlet shopping. Christina and I had fun finding some bargains. I love this little girl. She is so sweet and so girly.

After graduation, we all went out to eat at a "diner," as they say in "Joisey." We southerners have never been able to figure out that "diner" thing. We have diners, but NJ diners just look like regular restaurants to us. Things are just different in "Joisey." It's definitely not the south.

But, we love our NJ kinfolks! Here's Scott, with his sibs, Brian, and Christina.

That's all for now, folks!

The Blog Posts in My Head

2010-01-24T20:00:00.025-06:00

January is a month for reflection. A time to look back over the previous year and remember the blessings, the challenges, the special times with family and friends. A time to think about what I did right - and what I need to improve on. Big list, that second one :)

Along these lines, I also thought January would be a good time for a little catching up on this blog. You see, I have blogged a lot this year. Lots and lots. You wouldn't believe how much I've blogged. Why, I'm almost up there with The Pioneer Woman in the number of blog posts I've created! Why don't those posts show up on my blog? It's because they're in my head.

So many pictures I can hardly organize them, so many great times, so many inspirations for posts. And I've written a bunch of them in my head. I just didn't get around to writing them down.

Tim is a different story. He started a blog after I did. It's a private one, really a journal, a diary, if you will. I love reading it; it's a great record of what's going on in our life, and I'm able to see what he's been doing related to work. But, Tim operates differently than me. He gets things done - fast. He put a blog ap on his iphone. At the end of the day, he uploads pics he took that day with his phone, writes about his day, and posts. He keeps it simple and doesn't turn it into a big project.

Me - I want to crop and enhance my photos, then write a story about an event. But, that takes time, and I'm a pretty busy gal, so I think, "Oh, I don't have time right now." And I never get around to it.

So, the point of this post (and perhaps a couple more) is to do a little catching up on 2009 and to promise myself to keep things simple in 2010. KISS: Keep It Simple, Susan

Here's some pictures from those blog posts in my head:

Tim and I started fishing at the farm in early March. Nice largemouth bass in the pond below the house. We bought a paddle boat from our neighbor and christened it "The Minnow Bucket." It was perfect for fishing in the pond, and Nick enjoyed coming along for the ride.

Hauling our fishing gear to the pond

My cousin, Joy, came for a visit, albeit a brief one, in April. For those of you who know Joel, Joy is his sister. Her mother was my mother's beloved baby sister, Devonna. Joy plays the bass fiddle for the Sullivan Family, which is a gospel bluegrass group. Pictured here with me are Enoch and Margie Sullivan, Joy, and Joel. It was so good to see Joy! I don't get to see her often, and it was a real treat to get together.

Spring is also the time for turkey hunting at the farm. This gobbler was strutting his stuff. That's a decoy in the foreground.

The gobbler wasn't strutting for long. Tim bagged him. My hunter looks pretty happy about that!

Tim and I with Tim, Lauren, and baby Gabe in Tulsa in April. I might add here that John and I ordered so much food at the Cheesecake Factory that they couldn't get it all on our table. We ate most of it though!

Rylie holding Gabe. In case you didn't know, these are two of my favorite kiddos in the whole, wide world!

In May, Tim and I traveled to Magnolia, in south Arkansas, to celebrate my Uncle John's birthday. My sweet cousin, Jane, always goes all out with a pretty table and a special meal and birthday cake. She and her husband, David, live near Uncle John and Aunt Ordell and are such a big help to him in caring for my precious aunt, pictured below with Jane and David's adorable grandaughter, Caitlyn.

Aunt Ordell is my mother's only surviving sibling. She still has the same sweet spirit that she's always had.

Memorial Day brought fun on the farm with friends. Fishin', four-wheelin', and food!
Check out Mike's and Rick's fishing poles :)

Even little Ray-ray fished - and caught a bunch!

Everyone who fished caught lots - and threw them back.

Come on, Sterling! Reel it in!

It just doesn't get any better than this! Tim and I love having friends at the farm.

Makeover Underway

2010-01-17T22:42:00.002-06:00

This poor, pitifully neglected blog is finally getting some attention. A makeover is in the works. Please check back this week.

Thanks to those of you who have encouraged me to continue blogging.

New Friends

2009-11-30T20:59:00.009-06:00

On Monday evening, November 9, Tim and I were at the farm making last-minute preparations for guests. I heard the crunch of tires on gravel and looked out the kitchen window. “They’re here,” I called out to Tim and hurried out the front door. A white truck towing a fifth-wheel made its way around the last curve in the driveway and pulled into the yard. Out stepped a lady I had not met in person before. Behind the wheel of the truck was her husband. Lisa and Tony Cianchetta had arrived in Arkansas.

It all started about a year ago. I left a comment on Lisa’s blog, which I had seen on One Stop for Apostolic Bloggers. She had written a funny post about what to buy your husband for Christmas. I read the post aloud to Tim, and we got such a laugh out of it. I left a comment telling her so. She commented back, and the rest, as they say, is history. John was going to Sacramento with a friend, and Lisa and Tony were putting them up in their guest house. Lisa and I exchanged emails, and she sent me pictures of the guys in California. Tony and Kyle, their son, took John snow skiing at Lake Tahoe, and he had a blast. He told us what nice folks the Cianchettas were and how much we have in common. Lisa and I continued to stay in touch. She commented that it was obvious from our blogs that both our husbands love to hunt and suggested that they get it touch and plan a hunt. So, we did just that. Tony invited Tim out west to hunt, but Tim just didn’t feel he could get away because we were gone so much this summer. He invited Tony to come to Arkansas to hunt whitetail deer. And so it came to pass.

We hit it off from the first night. We laughed as they told us about their final approach to the farm. As they started down the country lane that leads to the farm gate, they saw some folks out in an untidy yard. An obese lady was burning trash in a barrel. Tony turned to Lisa and said, “Do we know anything about these people we are going to visit?” He was a little worried. Arkansas folks do have a reputation, and it’s not all good. Thank goodness, our yard was tidy, and we weren’t burning trash in a barrel. They might have turned around and left. Apparently, they don’t burn trash in Cali. :)

Each day, the guys hunted and Lisa and I ventured out to Conway, to NLR, and to Little Rock to shop and eat and see the sights. On Tuesday night we all went to church. And on Friday night, Lisa and I went to a ladies meeting at church. The menu included catfish and grits 'n greens. While not too fond of catfish, I think Lisa was duly impressed with grits 'n greens. Oh, lands sake, they were mighty good! I asked for an extra serving of them, and they brought me a big ol' bowl and I just about made myself sick.

Oh, and we cooked. Lisa said we cooked more in eight days than she had cooked in the last five years. We southern girls like to show our hospitality by cooking. I must say Lisa was a huge help; it was nice to have another gal in the kitchen.

The first night we had a shrimp boil.

Lisa and I eating barbeque at Burges in the Heights. Lisa had her first fried pie here. She and Tony had never heard of fried pies. Oh, the deprivation! We bought a dozen more and took them home to share with the guys. Also, some Peach Jezebel Sauce. You haven't lived if you haven't had Peach Jezebel Sauce. Lisa bought a jar to take back to Cali with her.

The cook in the kitchen window of Burges obliged Lisa by posing for her.
The fried pies were a hit when we got home.

Lisa loved Nick. The feeling was mutual.

Tony got a couple of nice bucks.

The guys hauled their kills to the house in the frontend loader of the tractor.

Tony taught Tim how to butcher a deer.

The guys went pheasant hunting at Wings and Rings one day and took David R. with them.

On the last night, we cooked up the pheasant for a dinner with the Nesterenkos. Lisa and Tony went to church with them in California many years ago and had no idea they were here. They had not seen each other in about 25 years. Lisa and Sis. Nesterenko reconnected when they discovered each other at the ladies meeting.

(I had a picture of dinner with the Nesterenkos right here. Blogger is behaving badly tonight. My picture has not only disappeared, but Blogger refuses to put it in this spot when I upload it again.)

We had a great visit. Now Tim and I are planning to go to California next October. The guys are going on a bear hunt. Lisa and I are going to the beach and to Monterey.

Lisa and Tony, you are the ultimate guests. We are so glad to have become friends with you. Thanks for all the goodies. Ya'll come back now, you hear?

Here's a funny video of Tony on his first climbing stand.

The Berry Pickers

2009-07-14T19:38:00.003-05:00

How many differences can you find in these two pictures? Ha! A better question might be, "How many similarities can you find?" It wouldn't take long to answer that one. Let's see; there are ladies in both pictures. They are picking something. That's about it.

The top picture is of my dear, dear friend, Darla, and me on the 4th of July. We were picking blackberries when the second picture suddenly popped into my head. I asked Darla, "Do you remember 'The Berry Pickers?' " My mother had that print hanging on her wall during the nineties. Yes, Darla remembered it well. "Well, Darla," I said, "I know one thing. They sure weren't picking blackberries."

We hooted with laughter. Drenched with sweat, scratched by thorns, coated with Deep Woods Off! to ward off the chiggers, we stepped carefully to alert any nearby snakes of our presence in the hope that they would flee. And after I saw one evil looking spider, I just tried to put spiders out of my mind.

No, the setting for the painting is most definitely not anywhere in the deep South in July. Perhaps these lovely ladies were picking blueberries on a cool summer day in Maine. Perhaps they were picking cranberries in some other mild clime. One thing is for certain, they wouldn't look quite so nice in the briers of a blackberry patch in a hot Arkansas summer.

But they surely couldn't have had any more fun than Darla and I had that day. Friends since we were teenagers, we only see each other about once a year. Darla lives in Wichita, and she and her family usually come to see us during the summer.

Tim helped us. And Blake, Darla's 12 year old boy. Blake is a doll; we love him. He gets his own post coming up soon.

Last year Darla was here for the 4th, and we picked blackberries. The picking was much easier then. It didn't take us long to get lots of berries from one patch. This year it was much more challenging. The deer had a head start on us; they had eaten a lot of the berries. We had to pick four separate patches and work much harder. In fact, Tim got the tractor and bush-hogged an opening in a thicket so we could get to enough to cook up a double recipe of blackberry-peach crisp. It was well worth the effort. We ate dessert first that night before we cooked up a shrimp boil for dinner.

We made some sweet summer memories. More pics coming soon.

And, oh yes. The blackberry-peach crisp? Recipe for that coming up, too.

The Sidewalks of New York

2009-07-08T16:39:00.001-05:00

"East side, west side, all around the town . . . ." I couldn't help but think of this song as we made our way around the city. When my brother and I were growing up, my Mother entertained us with stories of her childhood, growing up in NLR in the 20's and 30's. One of the stories that made an impression on me was of how she and her sister, Ordell, took dance lessons when they were little girls. "East side, west side, all around the town," she would sing. "The tots sang ring-a-rosy, London Bridge is falling down. Boys and girls together, me and Mamie O'Rourke, tripped the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York." Then to illustrate how she and Ordell tap-danced to the song, she would execute a few steps right there on the hardwood floor of our living room. My brother and I were delighted! The thought of our mother ever tap-dancing sent us into fits of giggles.

Well, we certainly pounded the sidewalks of New York. Thank goodness for my Propet walking sandals! I was able to keep up with the best of them.

Eating, shopping, seeing the sights, and people-watching. That about sums up our time in the city. We didn't make a lot of pictures. Here's a few.

Times Square

Below is a picture of the exterior of the Tenement Museum in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. On this visit to the city, I wanted to see something we had not seen before. I learned about the Tenement Museum online, and we were not disappointed. In fact, we would probably go back again. This museum picks up where Ellis Island leaves off. If you loved the book A Tree Grows in Brooklyn you would enjoy this museum. As we climbed the staircase in the tenement we toured, I could just imagine Francie's mother, Kitty Nolan, on her knees, scrubbing the stairs.

There were several tours available. The one we took followed a German immigrant family who lived in the building beginning in 1863 and an Italian family who lived there in the early 20th century. Our guide showed us photos of the original families and their descendants today, copies of original lease records, and all manner of drawings and other material that helped us to imagine life in those tenements where we were standing.

The apartments were tiny: 325 square feet that included a kitchen, a bedroom, and a room overlooking the street that was used for living during the day and sleeping at night.

Our guide, a twenty-something young lady told us that she lives in a tenement apartment that has been updated. There was an building next door to the museum that had an apartment for rent. The floor plan was identical to the building we toured. The rental for 325 square feet? $2200/month!

The museum also had a great gift shop with lots of books. I came away with a couple of good ones.

Go here if you want to learn more about the Tenement Museum and the immigrant experience. (Hmm. The link does not appear to be working. Not sure what's up. The url is : tenement.org.)

We really wanted to go back to the Metropolitan Museum of Art; it has been years since we've been there. We enjoyed it so much before; I think we could stay for a week. But, we simply could not do everything we had planned.

My favorite meal was at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Times Square. The sea bass just about melted in my mouth. John, a Sean Hannity fan (okay, we're all Sean Hannity fans), hoped to see Sean at Ruth's Chris. Our waitress assured us that yes, he does indeed dine there.

My favorite shopping? Actually it was for Tim. We came upon a 50% off sale at Jos. A. Banks. And we stocked up. Poor Tim. Between working most of the time, taking little time to shop for himself and John invading his closet, his wardrobe gets pretty raggedy. He came away with some great shirts, pants, ties, and shoes. Although last Sunday, John flipped his tie at me, smiled, and said, "How do you like this tie?" He had already been in his dad's closet, carting away who knows what all!

By the afternoon of the third day, we were all ready to go. Even John, who on the first day declared that he would love to live in NYC, had had enough of the noise and rush in the city that never sleeps. So, we got in our car and headed out through the busy streets for Pequannock, NJ, where Tim's sister and her family live. Tim's dad and stepmom were already there, in anticipation of Scott's graduation. It would be good to see Tim's family again.

Arkies in the Big City (or I Love NYC, but I Can Only Stand It For About Three Days At a Time)

2009-06-30T12:42:00.014-05:00

On June 13, Tim, John, and I boarded an early morning flight and headed out for Philly. Our itinerary: pick up a car at an auction in NJ about an hour from the airport, drive into NYC for three days; spend a couple of days with Tim's family in NJ and attend the high school graduation of our nephew, Scott; take John back to the airport in Philly on the 18th; road trip home with some planned stops and lots of serendipity.

When we got to the auction in Bordentown, NJ, it took awhile for the security guards on duty to locate the car and release it to us. No surprise there. We have done this deal before, and delays are to be expected. That's Tim and me, above, resting on the curb at the auction, our bags piled in the guard shack behind us.

Finally, after a long delay, we made the hour and a half drive into NYC. While we have been there many times over the years, this was the first time we have ever driven in the city. By "we," I mean Tim. John and I assisted him by alternately hollering, "Look out! Don't you see that taxi?!" , "He's going to run into us!" and "Turn right! No, turn left! Hurry up and get in that lane!"

Let's just say that Tim's patience was taxed by our "help." Poor guy. I don't know how he did it. But, he finally got us to our hotel without a crash. It's a miracle :)

Just getting pulled over and into the area to check into our hotel was an ordeal. It was a relief to turn our car over to the doorman and know that we'd be relying on public transportation for the duration of our stay.

Standing on the sidewalk in front of the hotel, we took in the hurrying throngs, the incessant honking, the sirens, the hum, the vibrant energy. It was great to be back in the city.

John remarked, " I would love to live here!"

That's a pretty standard line for him when he first arrives in a major city; I've heard it over and over. I just smiled to myself. I know that while he might enjoy visiting, he would HATE living in this place.

To be continued . . .

The Marker

2009-06-27T17:18:00.001-05:00

Better late than never, I suppose. I wrote this not long before Tim and I left on vacation two weeks ago. When I finished it, I thought, "I'll post this on Father's Day, in memory of Daddy." Technology contrived against me. My laptop and my scanner have an "on again, off again" relationship. The day before we left I wanted to scan in the picture of Daddy and me that is now at the bottom of this post. It turned out that the computer and scanner were not on speaking terms; the relationship was definitely "off." Normally, Tim, my techy husband, can convince them to reconcile, at least for awhile, but this time his attempts were to no avail.

We are now back home, after being gone for two weeks. I have no idea if the laptop and scanner will communicate, but my sweet nephew, Brock, took the picture home, scanned it, and emailed it to me. So here is my Father's Day post, albeit almost a week late:

The third Sunday in May is Decoration Day at the rural cemetary where my parents are buried. My paternal grandparents, great-grandparents, great-great grandparents and a huge extended family are interred there as well.

Every year I go and clean the headstone of my parents and decorate their grave. I enjoy it. I think happy thoughts about my parents, visit with relatives I haven't seen for the last year, and wander about among the old headstones, visiting the graves of my departed family, looking for dates and clues to help me learn more about these people from whom I came.

This year Tim went with me to help me do a little work on the day before I was planning to actually take the flowers. As he cleaned out the old styrofoam from the vases on the headstone and cut fresh pieces for the new flowers, we chatted, sharing memories about my parents.

Then I remembered to look for it. The marker. In years gone by, I could not find it. I suppose it had been covered with dirt, and grass had grown over it. In the last few years, I've been able to find it but only after earnestly combing through the thick grass and searching for it.

This year was different. We have had an abundance of rain. The local news reported that our area has had the wettest May on record since 1882. In fact, the cemetary was the worse for it. Old headstones, their footing weakened by the wet earth, had toppled over. Many were broken. It was a sad sight.

However, one good thing came of this. Perhaps, because the dirt around it had washed away, the marker was plainly visible.

"There it is, Honey!" I exclaimed to Tim. He knows well the story of the marker, but he always takes the time to listen.

I knelt down, rubbed my fingers across the rough concrete, and traced the shape of the "B" etched into its rough surface.

Suddenly, I am a little girl again, perhaps three or four years old. Kneeling on the cool, painted concrete floor of the enclosed back porch that serves as our laundry room. I am "helping" my daddy. He has mixed the concrete and poured it into a large tomato juice can. Now he is tracing the "B" into the top. We set it in a secure spot, where it can harden. Later, he will set the marker into the ground at the cemetary to mark the plots he and my mother have selected.

As I touch the marker, the sorrow overwhelms me. The sobs come like a flood without warning. Tim, whose mother died 16 years ago, knows just what to do. I feel his hand on my shoulder. Then he holds me until the sobs give way to gentle weeping, and the tears subside. Soon, I am smiling again, wiping away my tears, and we go on about our work.

I do not often weep over Daddy. He has been gone for almost 28 years now. But there are moments, unexpectedly, that bring his memory to me so vividly that the hurt is as fresh as the day he died.

Daddy left his mark on my life; he lives on in my heart. I was "Daddy's little girl." He made me feel special. He made me believe I could do anything or be anything. That is a legacy no one can ever take from me.

Next year, I'll be looking for the marker.

Daddy and me, age 3 1/2, August, 1960

Spring Highlights: 5K SundaySchool

2009-06-10T13:40:00.011-05:00

Working with the precious children in 5K Sunday school during the spring quarter was so much fun. Nina H. was my co-teacher, and Tim, who loves kids, assisted us. Nina was an absolute joy to work with. I was acquainted with her before this but did not know her well. Candy H. told me, "You are going to love Nina. Ya'll are kindred spirits." And so we are.

Here is the balloon release we did on the last Sunday. We had talked about the Holy Ghost throughout the quarter and even had a wonderful move of the Spirit one Sunday, where the children were praying earnestly and one little girl came so close to receiving the Holy Ghost. She did receive it a few days later in church and was baptized in the lovely name of Jesus.

Before the balloon release we talked to the children about how the balloons must have helium in them to go up and compared that to how we must have the Holy Ghost to go to Heaven.

The picture below shows "Paul,", aka Tim, in chains, aboard the ship, along with the other "prisoners," "soldiers," and "sailors."

Tim told the story. During the storm part of the story, Nina and I flashed the lights for lightning, turned on a sound machine with a rain sound and a high powered fan for the wind. The passengers rocked along with the ship in the stormy seas and were finally forced to throw their "suitcases" overboard.

The ship crashed against the rocks, and Nina and I ripped apart the ship while the passengers "swam" and "floated" to safety.

This was one of my favorite lessons. It was so realistic that a couple of the children looked scared. At the end, one little boy said, "Let's do that again!"

Here's Nina with dolls representing the devil and Jesus. The Bratz doll with a goatee made a great devil.

"Jesus" calls some of the "disciples."

"Peter" and "Andrew" with their net.

On Easter Sunday, we made Resurrection Cookies. I had made some at home the night before that I brought to eat after we made the batter in class and put them in the "oven."

Here's one of our little dolls with her crown the Sunday we talked about heaven.

Our church rotates teachers every quarter, so we won't be teaching this summer. But I will always remember this special group of five and six year olds. We made some happy memories.

The Best Is Yet to Come!

2009-06-09T11:07:00.031-05:00

This blog has been on the back burner for awhile now. Really, it seems like I've taken it off the burner and set it aside. We've had a lot of things "cooking." Work-related things, church-related things, and social-related things. So many, many things to blog about, but we've been so busy living that I haven't taken the time to write about it.

This morning Tim said to me that he wanted me to just take a day for myself. "Don't do anything work-related," he told me. "Don't do anything you don't want to do. Just take care of yourself." That was music to my ears, because to tell the truth, I'm just worn out. "You might want to do a blog post," he said. He knows how much I enjoyed blogging. It was a welcome suggestion.

Where to begin? I haven't posted for about 2 1/2 months, I think.

Hmmm. I think I'll just begin with my honey. He had a birthday May 13. The big 5-0.

Now if you know Tim very well at all, you know he does not want to be the center of attention. He does not do things to call attention to himself. He most certainly would not ever want me to throw him a birthday party. It's just not his style. I'm a different story. I love any excuse for a big time, and I had been hatching plans for Tim's 50th for about 2 years.

To give you a little background, Tim is 2 years, 3 months, and 12 days younger than me, and in his good-natured, teasing way, he has never let me forget it. His teasing intensifies when I reach another decade mark. Here's a sample remark. "I'm just a young man, barely in my forties, and I'm married to a fifty-something woman."

To which I retort, "Yeah, in the tail end of your forties. You better watch it, mister, or I'm gonna get you good when you hit the fifty mark." He just grins. He's not too worried about it at that point. He's got some time. This has been going on for over 20 years now, and he knows the drill.

But when his big decade mark approaches, he starts to get worried. And he has very good reason to. When he turned thirty, I gave him a surprise "Over the Hill" party. Oh, was he ever surprised! We did it up right!

When he turned forty, I gave him a "Happy Birthday to the Old Guy" party. Another surprise. Lots of old geezer stuff. And lots of fun.

When I turned fifty, two years ago, Tim threw a surprise party for me. The theme? "The Best is Yet to Come." That is so typical of Tim. He is the sweetest guy on earth. It made me feel a little guilty about the party themes I chose for him but not too guilty :)

A couple of months before his birthday, Tim began bringing it up. "Honey, you know I don't want you to do anything special for my birthday." I just smiled sweetly. That smile did not bring him any comfort. None at all. He knew I had something up my sleeve. "You're not planning anything are you, Susan?" To which I replied, "You know I am."

He finally asked, "What would it take to get you NOT to do something for my birthday?"

"A nice trip?" I countered. I love to travel.

"You've got it," he said.

I'm a terrible person. I admit it.

Seriously, Tim loves to travel too. But he feels he should be working, not galavanting about. He works too hard and too long, and I threaten to kidnap him and take him far, far away where he has no cell phone signal. Where he can relax and recharge his batteries. And while I have never actually kidnapped him, I do plan our travels, to which he reluctantly agrees. Then, he has the biggest time of anyone on the trip, and comes home the better for it.

Last summer we took a couple of trips, where he had no cell phone reception (Holmes County, Ohio, home of the USA's largest Amish community) or where the reception was limited or just too expensive (Prince Edward Island, Canada).

It has been a long time since we got away for more than a couple of days, so my taking him up on a trip in trade for no big birthday bash was not a totally selfish move. He needs a break.

Tim and I spent a couple of quiet days at the farm for his birthday. He said it was the best birthday he has ever had.

We have an upcoming trip planned :)

I did not give him the party I was planning. The theme? "Welcome to the AARP!" I was planning to give it at the Patrick Henry Hays Senior Citizen's Center here in our lovely city. I had planned to present him with his AARP card. But, as he pointed out, he doesn't need his own card. He's had AARP benefits for over two years now, since he's married to "a much older woman."

Happy birthday, darling! I love you so! The best is yet to come!

This Is a Test

2009-03-23T11:03:00.003-05:00

This is a test; this is only a test.

This is a test of the emergency blogger system. Ok, I'm just kidding about the emergency part :)

Here's the reason for the test:

This blog is linked to apostolicbloggers.blogspot.com. Typically it takes several hours for a new blog post on "This is Z Life" to show up on apostolicbloggers. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

On Saturday, March 14, the blog post "Announcing Gabe!!" showed up in about a half hour. That was a record!

Since then I have done two blog posts, both on Friday, March 20. However, as of today, March 23, neither of them have shown up on apostolicbloggers.

I contacted apostolicbloggers several months ago when a post took about 30 hours to show up. At that time, they suggested I clear my cache, delete cookies, and refresh my browser. Then the problem corrected before I had a chance to do any of those things. This time around I have done all those things and still nothing.

It does not seem to be a Blogger issue as other blogs hosted by Blogger are updating. Then again, maybe it is. I don't know.

Has anyone else out there had a similar challenge? If so, do you have any suggestions for resolving this?

Thanks :)