Great Expectations.....

...and I don't mean the book, I'm talking about "baggage."

Earlier this morning SGTex and I were sitting here in the office talking before we actually got down to work. He mentioned our plan to rent a car for our next extended out-of-state trip, and said we should be sure to have it all packed up, loaded with stuff to the point of nearly bursting, like we did when we made the big trip from WA to TX in 2008. He says we travel better that way. I laughed. But then, I got to thinking about it. Baggage. I came to Texas with quite a bit of it, and not all of it was particularly useful, IYKWIM ;+)....

Somebody on one of the boards once talked about the responsibility we have (or don't have) to make our life partner happy. I think both DH and I believe in making each other happy. I know he really aims to please and does a lot to make me happy and keep me that way. Every once in awhile he'll flat out ask me, "Are you happy?" Usually, it's a bit of a loaded question, because I've given a signal that I'm not.... I know it's very important to me to make him happy, and I am to do so, (or die trying, lol). Anyway, getting back to that board/bored question--the consensus was that it's our own responsibility, it's on us to make ourselves happy, and nobody else should get that involved in the process. I don't think I believe that. There's something quite important about seeing to the well-being and making the one we love feel loved. I know I really appreciate the fact that he cares about me and my ups and downs, and I do about him, and what's going on with him.

We're finally, really and truly all organized with our wedding celebration, after rescheduling and relocating and revamping everything. We actually have contracts we're signing, have the venue established, the reserved rooms for guests (and that would be a few of you out there~) so we are pretty excited. But I hear tell there might be a change in the cake flavor again--there's always something, huh?!! :+).

Anyway, this was a cute comic and I thought it appropriate, since the general gist of things around here for the next good long while is going to be about how a man loves his woman and a woman loves her man. That would be what's going on about us- my He and his Me....

Shawn
****

A 100-year-ago wedding....

It's Friday night and I've got some time on my hands....

So, having wedding planning on my mind, I went searching for some vintage photos and ran onto this picture. The claim is made that "the first white wedding picture was known to be taken November 1910 in Detroit, Michigan." I'm not sure if it's this very one, but it was interesting to me, as sometimes it feels like it's been a hundred years since we started making plans for our wedding celebration!

Plans are kinda like that, though, and I suppose most particularly weddings. We're not having the traditional ceremony or reception by any means, nothing like what we see pictured here, but that doesn't mean that we haven't been stretched <-----> budget-wise, schedule-wise, patience-wise, changing the date, the venue, the guest list, the refreshments, the officiant, the theme...just about everything except what *really* actually matters.....What's really important: The Who, the Why, the What. And I'm really, really glad about that!!

Shawn
****


photo courtesy of: fashion-era.com/Weddings

It's Valentine's Day, and I'm living with the King of Hearts...

But I can still feel for you who wish you were having a happier, more romantic holiday (you know who you are). I used to be one of those people who avoided Hallmark shops and the greeting card aisle at Albertson's when everything started bursting with red and pink hearts and ribbons and streamers. It's a lot more fun now, I don't mind telling you, as I give you a {{{hug}}} and tell you to hang in there, your day will come.

Here's how it happened at our house:

Our Valentine's holiday started a bit early this year. SGTex came home with a pretty little red rose plant and a new house key (another story there) and a sweet sticky note saying really nice things. Then a few days later he showed up with a cute stuffed monkey bearing a "Be Mine" heart. He says "it was the only simian they had left"(lol)and it sits atop my computer armoire. What I won't tell you is that he did that by way of smoothing my all-too-often-ruffled feathers. It seems I can be quite the witch, and it had not been a good day, bless his heart. Anyway, last night we went out for Chinese to celebrate SGTex's new job, and we made a last minute, late night run to Walgreen's, where we split up and picked out some Valentiney things. Being the gent that he is, SGTex ended up sending me out to the car while he stood in line and paid for it all, declaring that he wouldn't peek at his card and candy and Valentine pencils, lol. Then a coffee stop and we went home to celebrate. It was a gorgeous starry night, and by the time it was two minutes past midnight and actually February 14, he'd surprised me with a dozen pink long-stemmed roses, chocolates, sweethearts, a lovely card and pink champagne cocktails, served with his handmade ham-n-cheese rollups, all served bedside....Yeah, go ahead and sigh.

We did stop all the heartsy-flowery fun long enough for the Atlas Van Lines truck to roll up and the King helped Mr. Trucker Guy unload 1000 pounds of furniture and boxes that made the long awaited trip from Washington. Thank you, Honey. You're The Very Best!!!

XOXOXOXOXO, ETC....

Shawn
****

photo courtesy of: I dunno, I forgot to check

By the way.....

On CNN I saw one of the reporters who was back from Haiti, now here in the states talking, and he mentioned how it was frustrating (my word) to not have any one person to "shake a fist at," or blame. I thought that was interesting and thought about it for awhile.
So, there's nobody to blame for the earth giving way beneath the feet of these people, but soon enough there are those to blame who descend upon Haiti like carpetbaggers in the Old South, taking advantage of them, representing themselves as The Answer, speaking for and serving God.

Sure they are...

Shawn
****

photo courtesy of infodigest.files.wordpress.com

Did you see that robin?....Did you see that, Robin?.....

Okay, well...Last week we saw a big pretty robin sitting in a tree outside the restaurant window. It was an encouraging, "oh, it's gonna be spring soon" sight to probably anybody this time of year. Today, someone posted on one of the chat boards that they, too, had seen a robin here in Texas. What makes this worthy of comment? Well, I don't know, but suppose it's that we here in the land of sunshine and moderate temps are watching the Eastern seaboard get buried in snow. We're not really gloating about blue skies and open windows (40 degrees here), and I confess to getting pretty tired of the rain we had (and there's more to come). It's really pretty out there today, so we're feeling pretty blessed and think it might be nice to let everyone else know there is some hope of clear skies--outside of Texas, lol.

Which brings me to my, umm, point. I googled "robin" in the Images category and was given 4 choices: Robin, as in Batman (one thumbnail shows 'em kissing, lol), the English Robin (really cute, one of my fav birds), the American Robin, and then of course, this Robin, as in Williams.

Actually, there's not a lot to talk about here and I'm not sure why I'm even blogging today, but it's Saturday and I don't have to be working. The kitchen is in need of some serious attention, the bed isn't made yet, the house needs to be cleaned and put in order, but I'm working on the first cup of coffee and just finished a lovely SGTex breakfast. He's here in the office working away and it's nice to just sit and look out at the sunshine and relax for a bit.

Someone else was posting on their blog (Hi, E) about Groundhog Day. This is one week I seriously would not want to live over and over again, for the most part. There were some good times, which I do look forward to repeating (Hi, Honey), however. All in all, it's nice that the sun comes up (somewhere) every morning and the moon shines on the day every night, that we're given a fresh opportunity to rise and hopefully shine once more, thanks to Tender Mercies....

Shawn
****

P.S. SGTex is wishing I'd left this alone when I published this with an over-sized, HUGE pic of RW, which only got his ear, award, and hand showing his wedding ring. His point, "It was a BIG robin..." It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he doesn't come along and redo the picture to make it so. I'm putting this here by way of explanation, just in case, LOL!!!

picture courtesy of xoncemorewithfeelingx.files.wordpress.com