He Said "Yes"

I love it when things come together. When a plan I hatch, crazy as it may seem, doesn't scramble like eggs but rather sets up nicely, like pudding. And I do love to plan things. Much as I am a 'fly by the seat of my pants' girl, I also pay attention to details and plot out the arrangements for weeks in advance. But those impulsive last minute decisions are just plain fun. Dangerous perhaps, but FUN!

I think I've shared a bit about how the Love-Burkes came to be, but you know it's almost spring time when the memories and pictures start making their annual appearance! Our first date was on March 20, 1994-- 20 years ago this year!!- which is also the first day of Spring! I love that our love story coincides with the arrival of a new season... as the buds are busting out on the trees and blooms appear, so it was with the friendship between us that quickly progressed to love.

What you may not know is that I'm the one who asked him out. I'd been so stand-offish in the past several encounters we'd had, kind of leaving him with Freezer Burn, so when I suddenly began to thaw-- even melt, he was, not surprisingly, a wee bit suspicious and perhaps gun shy of thinking we might possible move into a relationship. I dropped some subtle hints that might prod him into asking me out but when that didn't seem to be yielding the results I wanted, I finally had to just get bold and do the asking.

You will laugh at this, but I actually scripted out what I was going to say once I got him on the phone. I wanted the conversation to be causal and non-threatening, just a "hey I was thinking of going to the movies this weekend, you wanna tag along" sort of invite. So, I wrote it out, a couple of different ways, then pacing the hallway of my home, I practiced. When I thought I finally had it down I dialed his number quickly before I lost my nerve. I pitched my invitation in an airy, off handed way... "So... after that discussion we had about the movie Schindler's List, I decided I'm going to go see it on Sunday. I wondered if maybe you'd like to go along?"

April 1994, after we'd been dating for about a month

There was a silence on his end, for probably a second or two, but from my perspective it was a LONG silence. I have since learned so much about my man, that I can now picture exactly the look on his face and hear the wheels turning in his head as he processed this seemingly out of the blue request.

Then, mercifully, he said yes.

And, the rest, as they say,  is history.

A Little P.P.D.

(post party details)

Turning 55 is hard work! Who knew??

Seriously, I had an amazing fun weekend celebrating with some of the best people ever put on this earth and I lived up to my name, Rockin' Robyn, but this morning, I am dragging!! Blame it on too many nights of insomnia, too much sugar and embracing life at warp speed, but my gosh, rolling out of bed this morning just wasn't happening! I got hubby off to work and tumbled back into my bed! ( disclosure: it's after lunch, I have not walked today and I am still in my jammies!) It's all good though. I am just leaning back and reliving the moments of fun.

To begin, this is the invitation we came up with for my party... 

(identifying info has been removed for protection)

Keeping with the 1950's theme...

 my friend and her hubby who were hosting had Bruce and I and my sister and her husband 

join them for dinner before the party...

I would have LOVED to have found a "June Cleaver" style dress or something else that was 50's but the closest I came was this awesome leopard print jacket!!

My friend Wendy took special care for decorations 

and my sister was a big help in the kitchen the night of the party.

When the guests arrived we played a couple of fun games... the first was actually almost a little stressful!! My sister had everyone tell how they knew me and what their first impression was when they met me!! 

Oh. My. 

The the tables were turned and I had to tell all my beloved friends what my first impression was of all of them! It was really very fun and very affirming but it was a lot of brain work trying to remember some stuff!!

In between snacking and yakking, we also passed around a jar with questions in them, taken from the Ungame. These are leading questions designed to inspire good conversation as well as help you learn more about your circle of friends! I love this game! We also tried to hula hoop... but we decided the hula hoops were defective, because none of us could get them to stay up around our hips!!

Then, I opened my gifts--- which I have to say, I am like a kid in a candy store about presents!! 

Maybe gifts is one of my love languages. 

Saturday's party was, to me, a huge success and I loved every minute of it and came away feeling very loved, very cherished, very affirmed. At one point I looked around the room at all these loving faces and said "I am rich. I am blessed. And every single one of you in this room is going to be in Heaven with me some day! That is totally awesome!!" 

What more could a birthday girl ask for? 

Sunday, the ACTUAL day of my birth, we attended church, came home for a quick lunch, headed to my mom's and then with her along, went to our son and daughter-in-law's annual Christmas open house,  what they call their "Jingle Mingle". 

Our very creative daughter in law, set up a little photo station where we could play with an assortment of props for picture taking. Oh, we had a lot of fun with that!

After the Jingle Mingle (don't you just love the name?) We took my mom back to her place and she gave us a little tour of all the Christmas decorations on display there. Pretty! 

Intermixed with all this fal~de~ral was several phone calls from friends and family (including my grandkids) and the lovely facebook birthday greetings and wishes. Love it!

Then... finally... it was Date Night for the Love-Burkes!  Bruce took me to dinner at a fairly new eatery in town. Its in a location of a former restaurant that was one of my favorite places to go and I was sad when it closed. Having a new restaurant there meant, we had to go check it out! It is right on the waterfront and in the summer this is a delightful place to visit. We warmed up with some delicious hot buttered rum while waiting for our dinner. Good food and I saved room for dessert...   salted caramel topping on a butterscotch flavored creme brulee. I DIE!!!

Yes, between the cupcakes and cocoa puffs and all the other delectables on Saturday, a good score of chocolate in the middle of Sunday followed by a decadent dinner and dessert, I really shouldn't be SKIPPING MY WALK TODAY!!! But, I guess a recovery day is needed, so I'm taking it. 

Thank you THANK YOU to all my family and friends who made my birthday week such a memorable one.  God is good. 

December Baby

Sunday. Coffee in front of a crackling fire. Music (not Christmas) playing softly on the iPod. Blanket tucked around my legs, a cat balanced precariously between my lap and the arm of my chair, hoping to overtake the position my laptop occupies. The house is quiet; hubby just left for early church. And I am staying home this morning, hoping to recoup what I lost during the night: a solid nights rest!

Maybe the frigid temps of the past several days have caught up with me. Walking around all tensed up in an effort to keep warm, wreaks havoc on the muscles. Accidently-on-purpose ingesting some foods with suspect gluten in them (darn those tempting holiday treats!)  certainly adds to the problem for it does not take much (gluten) to inflame my body and bring on a dreaded fibro-like attack. So this morning I sit in my chair by the fire and try to just rest and relax. I cannot let these aches get the best of me. For this, this Sunday marks the one week countdown to my birthday and I intend to celebrate ALL WEEK LONG.

I told my friend a few weeks ago as we began planning for my birthday party, that truly I am not 'turning' 55. Rather I celebrate reaching the end of my 55th year. Think about it. When we reach our first birthday, we are celebrating our very first year of living outside of mama's womb. Each year we are living out the birthday number that is to come. So in that aspect, I have been living out my 55th year since my birthday last year! I know, I know, that's just too deep to comprehend this early in the morning. We'll need more coffee.


So, yes, I am beginning the celebrating of my upcoming day, today! Why not? Why not have more than one day to be joyous, to play, to have fun? We do the whole countdown to Christmas and build anticipation with each snip of the construction paper chain, each opening of the Advent Calendar window. Blame it on being a December baby, who sometimes felt cheated out of the focal point of her birthday by a jolly fat man in a red suit, but I really want to have some fun with my birthday this year. Hence, the celebrating beginning today, the birthday party at the end of this week and then, next Sunday, special plans on my special day, with my special man.

I have a date with my sister for this afternoon. She is treating me (and herself, truth be told) to a production of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" playing at a local theater. We are excited. I have a fond recollection of this play, as eons ago, when I was a youth group leader, I cajoled 20 some teens and pre-teens, along with a handful of adults from our congregation to put on this same play for our church one Christmas. It was a crazy huge undertaking and I shake my head with wonder at the thought. There I was, this 30-something mother, with 20% organizational skills, and 80% spunk, pulling off a most ambitious production! But, pull it off, we did and it will be fun to sit in the audience and watch this play now. I am curious to see just how much of it I will remember!

Other plans for this week include some SELF PAMPERING. A hair appointment, shopping for something to wear to my party, a massage, maybe a mani-pedi, and certainly at least a couple of coffee dates with some sweet friends are all marked on my calendar for this week.

Yep,I will be living it up!

A Walk, A Talk and A Good Cup of Coffee

Yesterday was the first day I believed Spring was here.

Hubby and I headed into town to visit one of our favorite coffee house locations but it was just too perfect of a day to sit inside and drink our beverages. We took ours to-go and headed down the road in search of the trail head that would take us along the water front from downtown to one of our favorite little parks.

It was about a 2 mile trek one way and the sun was glistening over the bay as we walked.

 We had much to talk about as we traversed. We'd met that morning after church with our pastor and his wife and another couple we love and respect to talk about hubby's upcoming mission trip and the impact it has had on our lives of late. I may be in a much different place than I was a month ago but I find I am still wrestling with feeling unsettled and emotional. Having our church family supporting us with their prayers and words of wisdom and encouragement means so very very much. We were both glad to have had the time to talk with them, listen to their good words and take some suggestions with us to mull over.

It was a near perfect day. 

Date~A~Versary!

Once upon a time, a spunky young lady dared to ask a shaggy haired bachelor out on a date!

This was after the Tall Timber Snow Retreat/How we met weekend..... We'd been carpooling to our church volleyball league for a few weeks, going out for coffee with the team after the game. It was all casual and friendly and a lot of fun but I sensed what was building between us could use a little more exploration, best done in a more intimate setting. At coffee one night we talked about a very popular movie playing in the theaters at the time: Schindler's List. Neither of us had seen it and I casually but very intentionally said I would really like to go.... giving him the perfect opening should he take the hint. He didn't respond but I wasn't put off. After all, I'm the girl who rattled him only a few weeks prior with my allergic to men comment. Why would he want to intentionally date me?

I called him a couple of nights later and after a bit of small talk, announced that I had decided to go see the movie that coming Sunday and wondered if perhaps he'd like to join me? There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone and I thought perhaps I'd shocked him with my straightforwardness.... but once he'd recovered, he seemed amiable to the suggestion and a date was indeed made!

We agreed to meet at the same location we'd been meeting for carpooling.... a local grocery that bills "where friends meet friends" on their store front. Before the day of our date rolled around however, he upped the ante. He asked me if I would like to go for dinner after the movie (we were going to the matinee) and that's when I started thinking this might really be a DATE!!! Not just two pals taking in a movie, but a real Date. Like Capital D.
GULP.
Suddenly I was all a flutter.

I jokingly told a friend I'd know by the choice of restaurant whether he was thinking serious thoughts about us or not. I said, "If he takes me to -- oh, I don't know, McDonalds, it means he just wants to be friends. but if he takes me to... someplace like... The Black Angus (my favorite place but he didn't know that!) then it means he's  really interested in me." LOL, I remember my friend said "he'll probably take you someplace in the middle-- like Sizzler's."

Hmmmm.

Sunday, March 20th, rolled around. It was the 1st day of Spring and I thought what a significant thing this was. Spring to me signifies the birth of newness. And our willingness to explore taking our friendship to perhaps a new level by going out seemed like the birth of newness as well. I was getting nervous and I can only imagine what was going on in his head and heart as he prepared to meet me that day. I tried very hard to  maintain my cool but I remember pulling into the parking lot at the grocery store and seeing him in his car and our eyes meeting and thinking who was I kidding, meeting like this was just a carpool to the movies instead of volleyball type event, when it was really and truly an honest to goodness date.
Capital D.
More GULPING.
More fluttering.

Well... the movie was amazing. Schindler's List is a serious mind-blowing account of the Holocaust and one brave man's attempt to save as many Jews as he possible could. It was not the sort of movie you go to and come away from untouched. You don't make small talk after a movie like that. We sat in silence when the movie ended and then walked shoulder to shoulder back to his car. Inside the vehicle he reached over and squeezed my hand. "Thank you for asking me to come with you to see this movie." was what he said but I felt more than a simple thanks in that gesture.

He drove out of the parking lot asking me if I had any preference on where we went for dinner. We were just down the road from The Black Angus but I was not going to suggest it. I shrugged and said anyplace would be fine.... and he drove to The Black Angus!! Scoring multiple points!!!

Oh yah, this was definitely a Capitol D date.

We sat in a booth and started talking. We talked about everything; single parenting (he had a 15 year old son he was raising alone, I had my 12 year old daughter living with me and a 15 year old son who was living with his father) We talked about our work, our faith and our families. Of course we discussed the movie and other movies we'd seen. We talked throughout dinner and were still talking as the waitress pointedly removed our plates, brought us the check and made uncomfortable noises as she walked past our booth... and we finally realized how late it was and that the place was closing.

Back in his car he held my hand as he pulled out of the parking lot. There was a beautiful moon on the rise and as he passed the lake and the pretty little park on the edge of the lake he asked if I would mind if he pulled over there.... and hastened to assure me it was because he just didn't want the evening to end, he was enjoying our conversation so much and could we prolong it by looking at the moon on the water? And I never for one second thought that seemed scary or like a line out of a movie but was enchanted by the whole idea. So when we had talked for another hour or more and our eyes met in the moon-lit front seat of his car and we found we couldn't break away from the gazes, it seemed only natural and perfect for our first kiss to take place....

and it was the stuff they write about in romance novels.....

You can understand, perhaps, why we still celebrate every year on the 1st day of spring, that first date. It was, and is, a perfect first date.
Capitol D.

practice makes perfect ;)

a post in which i mostly ramble...

how was the weekend.....??

Friday evening was the official beginning of our weekend and it was ~DATE NIGHT~ in our little world!! Love those times when hubby and I can escape even for just a couple of hours, grab a cup of special coffee and cozy up at a table in a corner of a great little coffee house and just TALK.

We are still processing things related to the mission trip and getting back into the groove of work. It's been good though. We also recently started up with our small group and it was awesome to reconnect with these special group of people. Verrrry Excited about our upcoming 6 week study. it's from Family Life Today and the study is called "Growing Together in Christ". We are planning as a small group to turn around and offer this study to other couples in our church and community. Again, VERY excited about the prospect!!

Even though I work Sat. mornings and hubby races off to his men's breakfast/bible study, the rest of my Saturday did feel like a weekend. I cozied up with books and a blanket for most of the afternoon, breaking up part of the day with a little cookie baking frenzy. Chocolate Chip Cookies, the best kind. We'll see if they last long enough to go into the carpenters lunches though!!

We slept in this morning, a rare thing, and then while praise music played softly in the background, we sat in companionably silence and worked on our small group study book assignments. Between laundry and spot cleaning, I have spent most of the afternoon in the kitchen prepping food for the week. I love to cook up a huge pot of rice because we eat a lot of it and it's great to just have it on hand to stir in to other things. I also baked up 2 dozen potatoes and when they cooled, I diced them and put into freezer bags. We had this ginormous bag of bakers sitting in the garage and too often those taters start growing arms and legs and threaten to take over the garage so I didn't want to let them go to waste. Having them pre-baked makes it super easy to fix hash browns for breakfast--something we both love. Lastly I put on a pot of black beans to soak and simmer. Not sure what I will do with the beans but they'll end up in something in the next day or two-- chicken tortilla soup maybe.

Just sitting here now, I am enjoying the aroma of the simmering beans and I know when I go to stir them again I will find them soft and beginning to split as they become more and more tender. I like to think I am like a little black bean as I soak in the music that still plays on the stereo and meditate on God's Words for me today. Getting softer and more pliable... taking on the flavors of Christ... allowing His love to wash over me, heal me, and strengthen me.

Happy Weekend~~ Here's to a Marvelous Monday!

Date Night

We don't get to go on very many 'real' dates. Either we don't have the funds for it or hubby is working hard and working late and we don't have time for it. We make 'dates' out of the mundane; those trips to the dump,  the hardware store, or whatever errand running we've got on the list. So when we are able to separate the 'things to do' from just relaxing and being a couple in love, oh what a joy!

Last night was one of those rare occasions. Made even rarer since it was A. not an anniversary or a birthday. B. A dark and rainy Friday night and C. hubby got home LATE and I was sure the last thing he would want to do after working hard all day (all week) with a meeting almost every night this past week, would be to turn around and go to town for a cup of coffee and a heart talk.

So kudos to my man for sucking it up and insisting we were still going out. We spent a cozy couple of hours nestled in a buttery leather couch, with our drinks (velvety smooth London Fog for me, kickbutt chocolate Mudslide for him) and without any interruptions, except people watching, we got caught up with one another.

It's been an intense week and I hope to be able to write about it in a few days in a way that helps others, but for now, let's just say that there was a lot of hurt going on in the hearts of many people we care deeply about and it burdened us greatly. There was much prayer and mini conversations happening which was a good thing and while it has not been totally resolved, there have been forward steps taken and the seeds for reconciliation planted. It was good to be able to sit together and reflect over the events of the week the way we did last night. It was a great little date with my honey.

Today, Saturday, is my sister Anita's birthday. She is 5 years older than me and is my closest friend after my husband. we are separated by the miles (she lives in S. CA) but thankfully we have email, facebook, skype and the blogworld to stay connected. Oh, and phones. LOL. Yesterday I called her and told her I thought I'd use an old fashioned device to update her on some things. funny how easy texting and email and instant messaging has replaced those face to face or ear to ear conversations!

Anyway, in honor of my sister's birthday, she is throwing a party over on her blog AniLouMinary. You are invited to drop in and enjoy a slice of joy with her. (You can wear a party hat if you like but it's not required.)

One last thing.... it's time to FALL BACK tonight. Happy weekend everyone!

Vivaldi, Sunshine and Apple Pie

I feel ever so slighty naughty. I didn't go to church this morning!! We went last night instead. Our church decided to launch a Saturday night service calling it "Soup and a Service". We serve a simple meal of hot nourshing soup and bread, seated at tables of 6 or 8. After sharing a meal together we stand around our tables and sing a few worship songs, then sit again and listen to the message from our pastor. We started this just a few weeks ago but this was the first time hubby and I have been able to attend. We enjoyed the simplicity and casual atmosphere and pray this will be a welcoming place to those who might not come on a Sunday.

It was a beautiful weekend starting with our spectacular  Friday Hike! We got out of the starting gate a little late but the mountain waited patiently for our arrival. In fact, we had cloud cover mixed with sunshine-- the perfect combination for a hike. Not too hot, not so buggy I'd go nuts. And then the clouds stayed at bay while we did some fabulous photos in front of the view. In fact, as I looked over the pix in the view finder of my camera, and pronouced them good, we looked back at Mt Baker and realized it was completely under cover of the clouds now! Well! I am so glad we were able to get those awesome shots!!

We enjoyed a delicious dinner on Friday night at a new-to-us dining estabishment called Bayou on Bay. Clever little title given the location is on Bay Street but it's also closely situated to the bay of Bellingham. Bruce was brave and ordered the catfish. I went for the salmon but after one bite of his pecan encrusted catfish, I was wanting more!! We divvied up our entres and shared them like a good married couple. ;)
We also has lip smacking scrumpdelicious fried green tomatoes for appetizers. Yummmers!!  We completed our evening with a stroll under the moonlight, and coffee at our favorite coffee house. We'd talked about taking in a movie or a show at the local comedy club but the next showing was at 10 and by 9pm we were done. laughing as we drove home about feeling old I comforted hubby by pointing out we weren't OLD, we were WISE!!

Saturday was a bit of a rough day but we still made the most of it. We attended the memorial service for the young man who passed away earlier in the week. So unexpected! He was only 28 and leaves his bride and 2 young children. So sad. Only the knowledge that he IS with Jesus and his wife is finding her strength and comfort in that and the presence of the Holy Spirit, made the service bearable. We had a few moments to converse with her after the reception, actually the first real conversation we'd ever had with her. But we assured her we were here for her and her children and to please not hesitate to let us know what we can do to help in weeks to come.

After we left the service we drove into the older historcial part of our little city and enjoyed walking in the sunshine, leaves crunching under our feet, wind touseling our hair. We stopped for gelato and sat on a park bench in the sunshine and ate our sweet treat and people watched. We smiled deeply at each other, recalling past dates, one in particular at a coffee house across the way. First time my man had ever had an espresso concoction!

Speaking of coffee, we had to get some to enjoy on the drive home, then we went to the church soup and service.

this morning I slept in.... oh my how I slept! I enjoyed my coffee on the couch and now with the patio door wide open and the fresh crisp air wafting in, I am listening to Vivaldi, while a salted- caramel- apple pie with crumbly topping bakes in the oven and soon to replace that, a whole chicken to roast.

It's another glorious fall day here in my corner of the world and I am happy to sing praises to my Creator for blessing me with another day. May His Blessings be on you today and in this new week as well.
Shalom.

Sunday Outing

Hubby & I had a DATE today!!! 

(And it wasn't to the dump!! whoo hoo!!)

Art in the Park was happening in a nearby town... 

a friend of mine was there with her husband 

showing some of his fantastic moving art-- 

he is a kinetic storyteller! It's fun, it's innovative and very original! 

American Automata is the name of his business. Check it out! 

After touring the Art Work we continued the journey through the sunshine by walking up river to this sweet little park, aptly named Riverside Park. 

 these concrete pillars have some cool stuff embedded in them. 

 of course, I'm a sucker for any kind of water feature.

 the Mighty Nooksack River looking North

 looking the other direction.... 

this river causes a lot of heartache in flood season.....

and.....

courtesy of the awesome PicMonkey site... a fun collage!

We finished out the date with coffee at Wood's. 

Pumpkin Latte for me, Salted Caramel Mocha for the big guy.

much talking ensued ~ connections of the mind & heart.

 thanks for the date honey. It really *perked* me up!!

Let Me Tell You About It

With hubby working every minute of every day, time alone together, uninterrupted and focused, is precious.

After weeks of watching him work exhaustively, with little return on his investment, listening to him grouch and grumble, I start to reach MY breaking point too. I try to give him room for his mood, because after almost 16 years of marriage, I know this is just how it goes. I know this will blow over and things will smooth out.... Still, there comes a time when I have to check in.... "Honey, are WE okay?"  Of course we are is his usual response-- it's just him. Now, while I understand that feeling, and even experience it for myself from time to time.... what he fails to remember, is something that I wonder doesn't happen to lots of married couples... When YOU are not OKAY, then WE are not okay.... because WE are ONE. What affects you, affects me. When you hurt, I hurt....  it does us all good to remember that from time to time and change our attitude and temperament to reflect that....

When I learned he was planning to work yet another Saturday, cleaning up at the job site, I decided I would join him. I may not be able to do a lot of physical labor as intensive as what he had planned but I could offer moral support, a ready smile and maybe even sneak in a little uninterrupted focused on us time?

Well, it was a good thought!!

We separated lumber, lugged junk, picked up tools, and tidied up the job site. Soon the site was looking pretty spiffy, the junk trailer was ready to be hauled to the dump and we'd made good time. Until it was time to hook up the trailer. We had the wrong ball hitch. The right ball hitch for towing was in the garage. At home.

So.... home we went, about 10 minutes one way.... not a big deal but still a little bit of a hassle when we had a schedule we dearly wanted to keep. But despite the wrinkle, soon we were on our way to the dump...

and about half way there some sputtering alerted us to another wrinkle in our plan.... we were running out of gas.

The gas gauge in Big Yellow hasn't worked in a long time... He keeps track of his fuel with copious sticky notes of figures on the dashboard, and it works most of the time.... but every once in awhile.... well, let's just say there is a reason he keeps gas containers in the back of the truck!

Alas, the containers were EMPTY. Thankfully, we ran out on 1. a back country road (opposed to a dangerously busy highway) and 2. we pulled off the road right next to a house that had a gregarious gentleman sitting on the front porch who was happy to run Bruce to the nearest gas station!

Soon we were putt-putt -putting back down the road and unloading our junk at the dump. Dump Dates have long been a fun adventure for the two of us as we often have the most reflective, passionate, and heart revealing conversations... I'm not sure why, but I think there is a metaphor of cleaning out junk from our lives that going to the dump symbolizes. This day was no different but it was very warm, we were trying to scrape all this garbage out of the trailer and I wasn't as much help as I'd have liked to be... and frankly, the dump STINKS. I was glad when we pulled out of there.

We had a couple other stops that afternoon and I just kept smelling the dump... it was trapped on my clothes, my skin, in my nose. I could think of nothing better than a hot shower. I suppose the fact that we sort of skipped lunch might have helped to contributed to my quickly fading energy and patience.

It was a good time for me to remember that when I'm not OKAY, then WE are not okay....

We got home, I washed my hands and threw some ginormous bakers in the oven and hit the shower. We ate a hearty dinner of baked potatoes and butter beans with baked apples for dessert and called it a night. Or, I did anyway. Hubby was back on the computer, finishing up another item on his to-do list.

I'm glad we had those few hours, grubby as it was.

Sunny Sunday

Well, hubby had a great camp out with T-man, his best friend from high school and I had a low key do nothing but relax Saturday! I was ready-- and eager for hubby's return on Sunday however and even more delighted when he suggested we take a drive to the lovely town of La Connor WA for dinner-- and to take T-man to meet his ride back to Seattle. 

the Rainbow Bridge at the edge of town

on the other side of the waterway is the Swinomish  Reservation. they were having some canoe competitions that afternoon. fun to watch! 

La Connor is one of those little waterfront towns that has really capitalized on the tourist trade, making the most of the canal that runs by the edge of town with several choice eateries boasting outside dining. Lots of fun whimsical shops, artists showcased at every other shop. It's the kind of place where you can wander in and out of stores, just feeling good to look at everything on display.

Lavender Garden~~ lovely to look at but beware of buzzing bees!

 For 25 cents you can sample some amazing olives, (we did) or ride a wild pony! 

We had a delicious dinner, outside of course, at one of the pubs, drinking in the sunshine and the good food. I had a Hawaiian Chicken burger, sans the bun, with terriyaki sauce and a pineapple and the fries. Along with a crisp hard apple cider, it was the perfect way to wind down the afternoon. Bruce had the fish and chips and I have to admit feeling only a little sorry for myself for not being able to indulge in even a sample. (pooh gluten intolerance!!) 

After that fine meal we HAD to walk it off!! And complain how full we were.... 

until we found the ice cream stand....

We bade goodbye till next time to the T-man and his friend, then strolled down the street to revisit a sweet memory from one of our earliest dates. 

We'd been dating for just a MONTH and it was Tulip Time in Skagit Valley. We enjoyed La Connor much the way we did this time; dining, window shopping, ice cream and a climb up the stairs for a better view of the town. And a nice lady walking by at just the right time, obliged us with our first 'couple' photo op!

...April 1994....  falling in love....

It was fun  to do the same thing this time.... and I have to admit how pleased and surprised I was that Bruce remembered all the details of that date so long ago!! 

18 years later.... have we changed much? 

Still in awe of how God brought us together... and how much deeper our love is for each other-- and our Savior, than back then. And how back then I thought I loved both Bruce AND GOD as much as was possible!!!!

We came home via Bayview State Park and the whimsical town of Edison, another favorite spot of ours. We caught the last streaks of crimson as we raced down highway 9 west to Deming and home.

 

it was a lovely day.

one of the best.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

my sister upon seeing all my pictures from the pony adventure, commented that if you flipped through them quickly it was like watching an old movie. I took that a step further and DID turn it into a little movie, complete with perfect soundtrack....   click on the link below to watch. enjoy!!

the love-burkes go rouge!

Friday Funk

Used to be Fridays were fun and fabulous! Date night loomed on the horizon, the beginning of the weekend. But I have to go to work in a few precious hours and I will work Sat. morning too. There won't be much time to play this weekend. Even date night seems like a stretch as by the time I get home tonight and think about dinner, I will be too tired to care about anything.

We actually have tentative plans to do a date tonight though. Our local high school is holding it's annual Community Talent Show. Always fun and entertaining. (I even participated in it a few times several many years ago-- I sang) So we talked about walking over there this evening after I get home. We'd just make it if we skip dinner. I would really like to go. It's a way to connect with the community that doesn't happen any other way. And the talent, while mostly raw, is often also surprising. Plus I get to hold hands with my honey while we walk to and from the school auditorium and we can nudge each other in the dark and whisper little secret jokes to each other as we watch the performances. I'd say we are a little overdue to a night out together.

Yesterday was a pretty crummy day. I was hit with a wave of pain and fatigue that had me slouched in my chair all day long. It was National Pajama Day at my house. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia about 10 years ago and the last few years have been really good years. Very little pain, very few days of suffering and being unable to participate in *life*. Going off gluten and keeping active and on regular chiropractic visits have all done a lot towards keeping me in good shape. So I don't know what brought this episode on but it was a doozy. It hurt to move, it hurt to sit still. I was overwhelmed with fatigue and then the IBS kicked in. Not a pretty day. I did manage a shower around 3 and the hot water and steam was a relief. Made myself walk to the post office after that because I know that I have to keep moving or I will be in even worse shape the next day. Uggh. what a day.

Today is better. I was able to walk for 30 minutes this morning in the sunshine. I remembered to take my Vitamin D and wonder if the forgetting to take it for several days had anything to do with this flare up. I don't know.  Soon I have to leave for work and I despair over the thought of being cheery and interactive with everyone. I pray for a slow afternoon so I can continue to regain my strength and energy.

Not an exciting post today. Just a place to exercise my thoughts. And if hubby reads this before tonight, I am really looking forward to a date with you!! :)

the day before he leaves

what a beautiful Sunday morning! 

Worship! A powerful message! Love and support from family and friends! 

Bellingham Bay

Bellingham Bay, facing Fairhaven

what a beautiful Sunday afternoon!

Coffee date! A walk through golden trails leading to the water! quality conversation laced with kisses and promises. greasy yummy fast food for dinner and more kissing. ;)

a part of the Interurban Trail

at Fairhaven Marine Park

 what a beautiful Sunday evening!

Birthday celebration for mom with pumpkin pie and whipped cream, hugs and laughter. 

looking pretty snazzy for 83!

it was pretty close to being a perfect day! ah, heck it WAS (IS)  a perfect day!

love~love~love where we live!

I want to say THANK YOU again to each and everyone of you for all your love, your support, your prayers, your gifts, your words of encouragement and just for being in our lives! This trip to Japan is so much bigger than we would have ever dared to reach for but God is able to do so much more than we could ever dare to hope or dream. I know, I KNOW, that with God NOTHING is impossible!!

 

date night

i love date night.

this date was a surprise because when you are not working steadily, money for frivolous adventures just does not exist!

Bruce delivered a storage building kit to a customer the other day and was happy to stay and help the guy start the initial set up phase.  The customer was so pleased that he handed Bruce a cash bonus on top of the paycheck with instructions: take your wife to dinner!

it was more than enough for dinner so we took in a movie too!

We decided to dine at the India Grill. Featuring east Indian cuisine, this little eatery has placed repeatedly in Best Places to Eat. We'd never been and we were looking forward to a different experience.

We ordered appetizers; an assortment of  Hors d’Oevres, then at the recommendations of the restaurant owner, who was very amicable, (he wandered over several times to chat with us and we really enjoyed our exchange with him) we shared a feast of Tandoori Shrimp and Chicken Tikka Masala with jasmine rice and spinach nan (a flat bread like a tortilla) and a half a carafe of Chardonnay.  All so very very tasty! To finish it off we enjoyed a delicious mug of steaming Chai tea with milk and lightly sweetened. Then, the owner sent us home with a small packet of Chai spices with instructions on how to brew a perfect cup of tea from it. Looking forward to that!

Across the street from the restaurant there must have been a Halloween party taking place because we saw lots of interestingly dressed people going in. Pirates, witches, french maids, sock monkeys, gangstas, vampires, and the like. We certainly enjoyed the parade of interesting costumes!! 

After our fine dinner, we rolled on down the street, taking in the last rays of sunshine as it settled over Bellingham Bay, reviling in the crisp autumn air and the vibrant colors of the trees that line the streets. And arriving just in time at the movie theater for  Courageous

This is an excellent movie!!! We laughed. We cried. We sat on the edge of our seats. We cheered. I know that sometimes faith-based movies can come off a little bit cheezy but this really was top-notch all the way through!


We were pretty quiet on the way home as we reflected on the message of this film. The main theme of the movie is about being men of honor, in both work and home and making a special point to bring out the importance of the active presence of a dad in the home. Having so many people in our lives who suffer from the fall out of divorce and absentee fathers, it hit close to home.

Bruce has been attending a gathering on Tuesday nights at our church, called "The Fire" and it ties in closely with the message of this movie. Raising men up to be the spiritual leaders in the home, as Christ has called them to be. In fact last meeting he received a copy of the book The Resolution for Men which was written by the Kendrick brothers, who also wrote and produced the movie. The book serves as an excellent companion to the film. I am excited for Bruce to be reading it.... although I already think he does a pretty good job of stepping up to be the man God has called him to be.

it was a lovely evening.

i love date night.

Date Night

It's been awhile since my sweetie and I have done something fun, romantic and away from the house. In other words a date that does not involve Netflix, supper on the patio or a visit to my mom together. Hey, I'm not knocking those things, because anytime we spend together is almost always great. But, gosh, how nice it is when we do something intentionally aimed at cultivating 'us'.

The date night invitation actually came by way of another couple, dear friends who spend their summers here. Bruce had given them a lot of help this summer on their cabin, at no charge-- just helping because they are friends. They wanted to say thank you so they invited us to be their guests last night at a local award winning eatery just up the road.
ilcafferifugio is a delightful little retreatery (like my play on words?) that I have shared about before here. We love going there. Last night was no exception! This was dinner, outside in the crisp early September air complete with live entertainment. FUN!

a beautiful sunny evening.. even as the sun set and the breeze picked up a bit... it was lovely!

our host and chef for the event Mr. Rifugio in the red shirt, his assistant Joel in orange.

OK, I'll admit I'm not a big fan of certain seafood... and this fish chowder wasn't my top choice... still the food was all presented beautifully and it was good!

local entertainment BandZandt gave us a wide selection of music to enjoy!

dessert.... home made monster cinnamon rolls sliced and filled with ice cream.... oh ya baby!!

( i had to settle for a bowl of ice cream (vanilla and black licorice) since I can't have the gluten.it was just as yummy!!)

singing the blues

Some of the other diners got up and swayed to the music. One man in particular, was intent on a unique presentation of his response to the music.... he finally got his wife up to join him. that was very cute to watch!

As we ate, we enjoyed the band singing and playing... some original work and some great renditions of favorite artists. Peoples voices, laughing and talking, mingled with the music, the tinkling of silver and glasses, the pouring of wine, the murmurs from the servers, the crunch of the leaves on the grass as they were stepped on.... all melded together to fill the air with the magic of a September Night in the Garden.


What a fun relaxing evening. Afterwards we came back to our house for coffee and popcorn (as if we had any room) and watched a movie.. yes, netflix, lol. Our friends will be heading back to CA soon for the fall/winter so it was a nice chance to visit one more time before they go.

A lovely way to kick off the Labor Day Weekend-- our last weekend of the summer season. :(

Like An Old Denim Shirt

"Saturdays should be like an old denim shirt." I said this morning to Bruce as we sat on our front porch sipping coffee in the sunshine.

(Except he thought I said "...like an old Deming shirt." and was trying to figure out which of his shirts looked like our little town of Deming.)

But really. I have an old denim shirt and it's awesome! It's large enough to hang loose. It's soft from many washings. It's light weight and easy to wear. I don't have to worry about spills because it already has paint stains in a couple of places. I can roll up the sleeves and get to work if I need to. It will fit over other clothing. It is comfortable and comforting. It's the perfect Saturday shirt and it is a perfect example of what Saturdays should be like.

So today, I put my old denim shirt over my P.J.'s and basked in the morning sun as I sipped my special brew and chatted with my sweetie about our plans for this day. I love Saturdays and all they are intended to be. A day to catch up on sleep. A day to enjoy a second cup of coffee without feeling rushed or guilty. Time for contemplation. No hurries, no worries. Pancakes with fresh strawberries for breakfast. A dump date* with my sweetie!  I think I'll wear my old denim shirt.

* dump date: a day where we take a load of garbage to the dump. it may not sound romantic but it's a measure of uninterrupted time together that always seems to spark deep conversations. Maybe it's the subconscious thought of hauling away the old junk to make room for fresh and new that causes the reflective conversations. Whatever the case, we have a lot of fun doing it.

The Morning After

What a fun evening!

Our friends picked us up at 3:30 and we headed down Hwy 9 south to Seattle.
A stop in Burlington for lattes and then we were on the freeway,
amidst all the Friday travelers in the rain. (sure glad to not have to drive!)

The menfolk sat in the front and us ladies in the back and each pair talked and laughed and just had some great conversations.

We arrived in Seattle and found Dimitrious Jazz Alley easily -- yay for GPS!
Covered parking, cross one alley in the rain and then we were inside.

Now, let me set the mood for you:
Jazz Alley... what does this name conjure up for you? 

small groupings of intimate table settings
white table cloths, black linen napkins,
small candlestick lamps on each table-- low lights
jazz music (think saxophone) playing over the sound system
the bustling of wait staff, all clad in black
the clinking of silverware
the hum of voices; baritones, bass, tenor,
excited murmurings, laughter
and even though it was a smoke-free zone,
still a sort of smokey-haze was present.

We ordered appetizers -- they offered a wheat-free cornbread-- so both us ladies, who suffer from gluten intolerance, could also taste. (I found it very bland however)

The pace was measured I think, in this busy popular place.
Despite the business of staff, no one seemed rushed.
And while we waited for our food, it did not seem like it was dragging on and on.
It was almost as if it was a planned pace; a pace that says, 'you are here for an enjoyable, relaxing evening. so... relax... we have not forgotten you... we will bring the food... in stages... no need to rush... just enjoy...'
and so, we did.

Bruce ordered a salad that we ended up sharing because the portion was very generous. And it was no ordinary salad.:Jazz Alley Caprese - organic spring mix, vine ripened tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, drizzled with pesto vinaigrette. And, because my husband loves the pepper... lots of freshly ground black pepper.

For dinner I had the Honey Tangerine Organic Chicken - roasted half chicken topped with a citrus relish, garlic whipped potatoes and tender buttery asparagus. 
(I have half of my chicken to enjoy today)

Apple Cider Glazed Pork Chops quick-seared and served with a Granny Smith 
and blue cheese compote, pan seared sage potatoes and the asparagus was Bruce's choice. 
And a glass of Riesling, Chateau St. Michelle, for each of us.


About halfway through our meal the concert was introduced.
Keiko Matsui and her band of very talented highly skilled musicians. 
This was contemporary jazz like I had never heard before!  

for a taste of her incredible talent  click here

the concert was about an hour in length
(she does 2 shows a night for the 4 nights she is booked there)
but it was enough to expose us to her gifts and talents.
Her  saxophone man, the dummer and the 2 men on electric guitars were all exceptionally gifted as well. It was beautiful and very enjoyable!

of course, the evening would not be complete with out dessert
and what does have for dessert when dining in a fine dining establishment but cheesecake? Oh, and not just cheesecake, but New York Cheesecake,
and not just NY Cheesecake but decedent Turtle cheesecake!
dark fudge layer on the bottom, pecans and heavy caramel on top
and in between, thick creamy cheesecake..... oooooooh ya, that's what I'm talkin' about!
of course, it was served on a fancy triangular shaped plate,
which a red raspberry sauce swirled across the plate before the cheesecake slice was placed there... and then some blueberries placed here and there just for good looks.

I had to basically roll out of the booth when the night was over!

Our drive home was just as lively as the drive down. A few more yawns maybe
but still great. And by 11:30 we were tumbling into bed, tired, happy, satisfied.

And love~love~love woven into every moment...

I'd do it again.