Saturday, December 30, 2006

That was the year that was...

I stole this idea from Jana's post...seemed like a good idea. Here it is:

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? Became grandparents!
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? The last New Year’s Resolution I (Dale) made was to quit smoking about 21 years ago. That worked, and I have had no urgings to improve upon that. I (Dale) do set goals associated with my work every year, and will continue to do so.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes – our daughter and her husband gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Former backyard neighbors Russ and Caryn Van Hemert lost their daughter Leslie O'Bannon, in a tragic plane crash in November.
5. What places did you visit? Athens, Ohio (home of our daughter) and Chicago (home of our son).
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? We were blessed in 2006. Can’t imagine anything else we’d need.
7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? May 13th, when Dale turned 50. June 23, when Charlotte Grace, our granddaughter, was born.
8. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year? Becoming grandparents.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not winning the lottery. Hmm, I never played; suppose that had anything to do with it?
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nope. We were blessed!
11. What was the best thing you bought? I got a GREAT deal on some tires for the car (how lame is that?) Also, Kathy bought me a great leather jacket for Christmas.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? A tie: Kathy, for being a great and supportive wife; and Jeff, our son-in-law, for being a great father.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? In general, the political bunch. A common election year answer. It is especially depressing living in Iowa, where it seems it is always an election year.
14. Where did most of your money go? Common every day expenses and bills.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Being grandparents.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2006? Great Is Thy Faithfulness; The Grandpa Song; and The Grandma Song.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? Happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner. A bit.
c) richer or poorer? A bit poorer, perhaps.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Traveling to Illinois.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Worrying. Complaining.
20. How did you spend Christmas last year? Right here.
21. Did you fall in love in 2006? Yes, not only with my spouse but also with our granddaughter!
22. What was your favorite TV program? 24 (Dale). CSI (Kathy)
23. What did you do for your birthday in 2006? Kathy – quiet celebration. Dale – a surprise party hosted by Kathy and Scott!
24. What was the best book you read? Gosh, we read a lot of books. Hard to pick just one.
25. Who was the best new person you met? Our granddaughter, Charlotte!
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? I could buy Live at Leeds by The Who for CHEAP on Amazon. Bought one for Scott and gonna buy one for me!
27. What did you want and get? A grandbaby.
28. What did you want and not get? Nothing I couldn’t do without.
29. What was your favorite film of this year? A tie: Casino Royale and The Good Shepherd.
30. Did you make some new friends this year? At our age, you make new friends everyday, because we have become so forgetful.
31.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Either less worrying, or being closer to our kids…
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? Making sure everything matched.
33. What kept you sane? Dale – my workshop. Kathy – my craft room
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? No one. That is not where my trust resides.
35. What political issue stirred you the most? Keeping terrorism in check.
36. Who did you miss? My kids.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. Trust God. Completely.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Six months into this thing


Today is my granddaughter's six month burthday. I wonder where the time went? I wonder how much Kathy & I have been changed by this event?
In another couple of days she'll be here (with her parents, of course). I will say that one thing that has changed is the intensity of expectation we have of visits - we were always glad to have the kids come home, but we ache to see Charlotte.
Not going to get a lot of work done next week while they are here...

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Currently reading:
Discover Your Destiny, Charles Stanley
Act of Treason, Vince Flynn

Waiting to watch:
the new season of 24

The waiting is the hardest...











OK, here we are, 1 week away from our family being back together again. Now, I am by nature NOT a patient person, and this is no exception. I want them here. Now.
But, I'm willing to wait, because i get to see all those people special to me.
They're pictured above...
Scott, my son and B&E expert, shown exercising his gifts at his place of employment...
Jana & Jeff, now in Michigan, soon to be in Iowa...
and of course, Charlotte; anticipating how happy she will be to see Grampa and Grandma!

Thursday, December 14, 2006

This is a test...