December 2018

MERRY CHRISTMAS, from our house to yours.

Celeste has taken up the violin.  Early this month we got to hear her first concert at Lakeview Elementary.

Beautiful lady!

The 4th and 5th grade orchestra.

Rusty performed at Blue Bloods early in December.

Our Just Sayin' bike group and the Great Plains Bike Group each had their Christmas parties in the same week.

Annette and Pete slice the giant cinnamon rolls from Tina's

Just some of the biking friends we've collected in the last couple of years.

REALLY good cinnamon rolls!

Our costume-loving friend, David

For over 25 years my friends and I have enjoyed a special Christmas high tea event.  This year we lost one of our group and another was temporarily in another state, so we had a low-key event.

Di, Chris, Lorraine, Linda

A couple weeks before Christmas we heard a sermon about becoming our better angels.  A local artist painted some wings so we could imagine ourselves as angels.

Celeste, our little angel.

Live at the Mill is a radio production that interviews local performers about upcoming events.  On a Friday, members from First Plymouth Church were being interviewed about the Christmas production.  Drew Duncan (tenor extraordinaire) sang "O Holy Night" and was accompanied by our Minister of Music, Tom Trenney.

If hearing this didn't bring a tear to your eye, you had to be made of stone.

Friday morning breakfasts at 6 a.m. with a couple of friends have been routine for me for over 35 years.  This year we did a holiday celebration at The University of Nebraska Omaha Press Club, which is located in downtown Omaha with a lovely view.

Di, Sissy, Becky

Gretchen and I have been taking weekly classes in Agility Training.  She has progressed very well; now it's time for me to acquire better handling skills.

Gretchen with her favorite toy and showing off her teeth

One of Rusty's creations.  Who said we have to eat like a couple of old people?

Our dinner group of many years went to Sur 22, a restaurant with African cuisine for a holiday gathering.

Linda and Greg

Peggy and Lorvey
(my apologies, Lorvey for having too short a focus on this one.)

Rusty and Di

Anna made a Christmas visit to our house from New York.  Rusty takes a moment to share old pictures from back in the day. 

"I belive in Santa and Unicorns" --Perfect shirt for Anna.

We loved meeting Anna's girlfriend, Kate!

From November until March, Shari teaches a spin class on Saturday mornings to help us stay in shape when it's too cold or icy to ride outside.  At the end of class we do 10 minutes of core work.

The best part about early Saturday spin class is breakfast at The Hub.

As 2018 comes to a close, I calculate my biking miles for the year to be 3,360.  Not bad considering we were out of town for 45 days during peak riding season.  During the cold months I return to swimming.  This year I racked up 29 miles in the pool.  Each year the "moving-the-body"gets just a bit harder, but I'm committed to keeping it up for as long as I can.

This past year was filled with good memories with family and friends, good health, enough wealth, and lots of love.  I am grateful!

Happy New Year!

November 2018

The Thanksgiving holiday looms large in the month of November.  Indeed, it was LARGE for us this year.  Olivia hosted 24 people for dinner and many more for the party that evening!

It was a lovely, traditional dinner with family, more family, and friends.

Everyone helped with the prep work.

Felicia in the kitchen

Rusty and I brought food and helped in the kitchen too.

As is tradition, many folks walked to the Plaza to see the Christmas lights turned on for the beginning of the holiday season.

Reece, Olivia and Pierce with KC lights behind.

Mother-daughter in black and leopard.

My 3 darling grandchildren

It was fun to celebrate Ruby's birthday which was two days after Thanksgiving.

Ruby turns 8.

Donuts instead of cake.

Pierce

Reece

My beautiful daughters

Balloons and games provided great entertainment.

Quite the party guy, huh?

I had fun making a skating outfit for Ruby.  I used Etsy to find the same pattern that I used for my two girls many years ago.

Prepping for ice skating lessons.

On the ice!

Gretchen was happy to return to her life of luxury after being kenneled for 5 days.

This may have been my last outdoor ride for 2018.  The weather has been cold, icy, and snowy.

For life and death are one even as the river and the sea are one.

--Khalil Gibran

In six weeks I have lost 6 close friends or family.  These are good words for me to contemplate.

My beloved Aunt Joy.

My dear friend, Kathie.

October 2018

Unlike most of my blogs, this one will have few pictures, but many of my thoughts about the little things...

October 10

Between the political news, global warming, a huge drop in the stock market, and more rainy days in a month than I can remember, I’m feeling a little depressed.  So, I decided to count my blessings.

Among my many blessings are the birds that visit our yard.  Our yard is comprised of various elements that attract the birds.  All of our trees are small, but each year they offer more branches to welcome new birds.  We’ve had several springs now with robins who build nests and hatch their young. The commons area behind our fence is a drain field so it has tall grasses and a small rivulet of water during most of the warmer seasons, which attracts the field birds.   Nearer to our fence is a garden area that nurtures a variety of perennials and annuals.  With such diversity of fauna, we also get a diversity of birds.

Robins

Sparrows

Doves

Red-winged black birds

Cowbirds

Dicksissels

Meadowlarks

Gold finch

Purple finch

Bluejay

Bluebirds

Eastern kingbirds

Western kingbirds

Cardinals ( saw a pair one day; I think they were lost)

Barn swallows

Tree swallows

Hummingbirds

Grackles

Falcon (sat on our deck rail one time)

Red-tailed hawk

Crow

Phoebe

I give credit to my very, very large zinnia bed for bringing in finches, hummingbirds and a host of butterflies. The finches are crazy about the zinnia seeds.  Thankfully they leave enough seeds behind that I can harvest them for the following year.  It’s common for me to see about a dozen butterflies on the zinnias at one time.  I don’t know much about butterflies, but the few that I can identify are:

Cabbage white

Orange sulphuric

Regal fritillary

Monarch

I know even less about bees, but all of my flowers seem to attract them.  I’ve seen every type from big, fat, fuzzy bees, to tiny little things no bigger than a dime—-and all sizes in between.  Generally they seem to be quite passive.   I’m much less thrilled with the wasps, hornets, or whatever they are that threaten to sting. Gretchen has been stung a few times and is now quite wary of them.

It’s the little things...

On my bike ride October 16, I was appreciative of the many trails we have in Lincoln.  I rode 27 miles and all of it on paved trail. I biked through the Haymarket and happened upon a Project Homeless Connect event.

a man receiving medical attention

How wonderful that Lincoln is doing what it can to help the homeless.  At this event people could get free

Medical services

Flu shots

Eye care

Dental care

Clothing

Haircut

Pet care services

Bicycle repair

Awareness and connections to agencies that can help with all types of homeless issues 

It's the little things that so many of us take for granted...

The downtown area has become a popular place for condos and apartments.  Until recently, there has not been a viable grocery store within five miles.

For residents who mostly walk or bike, this new market is a gem!

It's the little things...

Why would these beautiful white iris decide to grace my garden in October?

A good biking friend hit a little patch of loose gravel while riding 20 mph on a trail.  He injured many parts and spent 3 weeks in a hospital with rehab 5 hours each day.  Members from my riding community celebrated his transition to home.

Gerry (in wheelchair) surrounded by biking friends.

Every day on my bike I am cognizant that this could be me in the wheelchair.  I try to be as careful as possible.

I am thankful for the little things...

Rusty's hip replacement surgery went smoothly.

Fresh flowers for his table---it's the little things...

Post-op has been a challenge for us.  Rusty has had non-stop severe hiccups which make it difficult for him to breathe, talk, eat or sleep.  Hopefully all will resolve itself in time.

In the middle of the night Rusty made this sign for me.

It's the little things... that make me feel appreciated.

Our church commemorated the 20 year anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard.  The service included a cello piece written as a special memorial and was accompanied by two dancers.  It was a somber and compelling performance.

Matthew Shepard's body has now been buried at the Washington National Cathedral.  Shepard has endured as a symbol of violent hate crimes against LGBTQ people.

It often is the horrendous and violent things that eventually lead this country forward.

Rusty treated me to coffee and a sweet at The Mill on Innovation Campus.  It gave us both a chance to get out of the house and enjoy a little sunshine.

The building in the left background is the convention center where I attended the following discussion.

The Heuermann Lecture Series first guests were former Nebraska senators Bob Kerrey and Chuck Hagel.

Bob Kerrey (D)

Chuck Hagel (R)

Having ridden my bike to this event, I'm the one in bright yellow.

The focus of the discussion was how people from either side of the isle should engage in civility.

"We are not seeing the leadership required in our country," said Hagel, who added that he doesn’t care whether someone is Republican or Democrat, and instead looks for leaders with character, courage and good judgment. 

The former senators said the issues go much deeper than whether someone supports the president. It’s also about what people are doing to improve their homes and communities.

Despite the challenges facing the country, Hagel and Kerrey said they remain hopeful for the future. They long for a return of civil leadership and are confident American politics will find its new center of gravity.  

It may be difficult to be civil to someone with different political views, but it's the little things that build our community. 

Go vote!