The First Flowers of the Season

Iris and Daffodil 

We had a couple very warm days last week and I guess the flowers noticed. I really do love spring, because I see new life, and new life brings hope. Even the pessimistic people of this world must be less so during spring.

Fajitas for Two

This evening I went to all the trouble to make fajitas, and then it was just me and Gary to eat them.

90 Years Young

Happy Birthday Evelyn 

Today I attended a birthday party for Evelyn Pike, colleague and neighbor, wife of Ken Pike. She looked as good as ever, happy and energetic, gracious and friendly. She doesn't look a day over 75.

On her 80th birthday Ken invited us to come celebrate with them and asked us to bring some kind of gift that related especially to Evelyn. Gary wrote a version of Happy Birthday in exactly 80 notes and played that for her.

I read an email today from someone who is getting his Ph.D. in his old age, writing some kind of kinship analysis computer program for his dissertation. He was talking about needing to hand it off to someone because he was going to be too old to train anyone to use it, since he had just turned 60. I wrote back and told him 60 was nothing--he should be like Evelyn who is still analyzing interlinear Mazatec texts and writing academic papers about her work. We hear all about her work when she walks over to our office every so often to have coffee break with us.

30 years ago, before I was married, I had a little chat with Evelyn about what it was like to work with your husband. She said it was possible and fun to work together as a team on the same project, but that you shouldn't both work on exactly the same part of the project. That's has worked for us for the last 29+ years.

Somebody Listened to Me!

A couple days ago I recieved in the mail a copy of LeTourneau University's school newspaper, the Yellow Jacket. After reading previous issues, I had made a suggestion to the editor, Charley. The results of my suggestion are on every page--the very top of every page, to be exact! Cool.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine earrings 

I was 38 years old before I got permission to pierce my ears. The year it finally happened my oldest child, then in 6th grade, bought me these lovely Valentine's earrings. I wear them about once a year.

I just got back from the grocery store. I told Gary I was taking him out to dinner. We only went to KFC, and really I was just doing that to make him go to the grocery store with me. I decided this was a guaranteed way to make sure I got chocolate for Valentine's Day.

He's not all that romantic, but I'm the person who wants a vaccuum cleaner for an anniversary present. I think romance is basically overrated, though an occasional unexpected gesture is appreciated. I'm happy to be married to my best friend who doesn't think I'm stupid.

Speaking of gifts, Rachel called this afternoon to say she had gotten a dozen white roses delivered to her at college. No, not from her true love, but from a boy who is belatedly showing her his love and affection. It made her happy. She also said that Valentine's Day is a good day to be a school teacher--she got several gifts from her students.

Valentine Sunday

Gary playing offertory 

A few months ago a work colleague mentioned to the choir director that Gary could play the piano, so he was asked to provide special music one Sunday. Those who know decided he had more rhythm than Perry Como, and therefore, he was asked to play again. Today's song, "I Love You, Lord" seemed to fit in just right with the holiday weekend.

But being the perfectionist that he is, he couldn't bear to perform when there were two notes obviously out of tune--he's been griping about them for several weeks. So what does he do? He skips Sunday School and tunes the wayward strings. (No, he didn't tune the whole piano, just the notes that were in the key he was playing in.)


Gary tuning piano