Playing SORRY with Thalia...and teaching her how to shuffle cards

Monday:
Me: Hello
Thalia: Hi Mimi!!! Today we pack, tomorrow we drive!
...and then we talked about how excited we both were to see each other.

Fast forward to 9:30 p.m.
Me: Hello
Thalia: HI MIMI...ARE YOU EXCITED...WE'RE DRIVING!!!
Me: You're what? Where are you?
Thalia: We're in the truck...we already left, are you excited?
Me: YEAH! I'M ABSOLUTELY EXCITED.

Inside, however, I was cringing at the thought of Joshua taking off AT NIGHT to drive. Of course, I didn't bring to mind the MANY times Ron and I use to do that on our Texas trips when our kids were young....

Joshua and Thalia made it safe and sound...got here about 4:30 p.m. yesterday. Last night, Thalia was ready to play SORRY. She got the board all set up. After 7 games, it was Mimi: 4, Thalia: 3.



As I shuffled the cards, Thalia was impressed and wanted to learn how to shuffle...so I taught her.



Once she learned...she became THE shuffler!

Where in the world does my buddy Bob get things like this?

"My buddy Bob" is a name many of my friends know. My buddy Bob and his first (and only) wife Helen have been married over 50 years. He still calls her his 'first wife.' Well, my buddy Bob is retired and he must spend a lot of time on the computer because he sends me some of the funniest and the greatest things through email.

Today, he sent this photograph. It made me laugh...and think, I bet the photographer didn't plan that shot!
Ron said he sure wouldn't want to catch that cat!

Where is the Swiss Team flying, I wonder?

This is titled the Swiss Team Flight A Winners. Um? Wonder what that means? I don't think they flew anywhere because the sweetheart in the red plaid, my mom, avoids airplanes like the plague. I know she doesn't have any Swiss blood in her...actually, I do recall that there is a type of bridge called SWISS. Knowing my mom like we all do (the ULTIMATE BRIDGE PLAYER) this all makes perfect sense. This 'team' must have just flown out the roof with their exceptional bridge playing.

In the back row is June and her husband Ken. In the front is my dear mom, Bonnie, and Marian.

I remember Mom telling me about this tournament...and that they had won...and then it just took a long time to get the photo. By now, this team has probably won again!

Is it or is it not 'Champagne' if it's in a can?

Do you notice the slogan on this cup? Mike, my niece Brenda's husband, kept repeating it when I asked him why he was drinking Miller beer. "It's the CHAMPAGNE of BEER" he would say.

Now Mike, I want you to take a closer look. Remember (if you can) when I asked you what it would be called if it was in a CAN and then I repeated the slogan and said it was the CHAMPAGNE OF BOTTLE BEER. You said NO, it was just the champagne of beer and it wouldn't matter if it was in a can. Um? I know you're having your eye surgery this week, but put on your contacts and check out the slogan. Maybe it's changed, but I knew it USE TO have 'bottle' in the slogan.

It was a fun weekend at Gabe's. Mike hopped a plane and came to visit Gabe. Brenda, who works for United Airlines, was off to Cleveland or somewhere for the weekend, so Mike decided to come for a visit. Now Brandon was also coming for a visit.... This photo is of Brenda and Mike...taken I think about 2 years ago. Notice Mike still has on a Texas T-shirt, even though he's from Chicago. I think I'd claim Texas over Chicago anyday.

Miller's was part of their plan. When I took these photos, Mike told me to PLEASE says these were '40's'... talking about the ounces in the jars. (However, I cannot tell a lie...they were 32s!)But regardless of the size, these guys and this blogger had fun.

In less than 3 weeks, Australia will be added to this map...oh boy!

I look at this map and think of all the places I would love to visit! Some places I REALLY want to see are Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Ireland, Wales,and China. There are more...but those are the places that come to mind first.

Fortunately, I got involved with People to People which is how I'm going to Australia this summer. Last year, I was able to see Italy, Monaco, and Malta with the organization. Did I say I LOVE to travel?

Flag Day, 2007

Today is Flag Day.

Today a huge flag that flies beside the freeway was replaced. This flag is HUGE - 30 x 50 feet, 220 lbs! Eleanor, the town grandma, raised money to replace one that was old and tattered. She raised enough money to buy 2 flags...each flag cost about $2500.

Because of the size, it took a lot of man-power to raise the flag. Some of our local students helped hold it off the ground as it was being raised. It was definitely a community-affair.






So today being Flag Day...how opportune a time to dedicate a new flag!

It was a perfect day .... beautiful deep blue sky, a slight breeze, not too cool, and of course, it's June 14th.

The Color Guard from VFW Centennial Post 2481, a group consisting of 2 Marines, 1 Air Force, 1 Army, and 1 Navy - all retired, marched in ... a bagpipe player played ... Dick sang the National Anthem .... the Coast Guard did 2 flyovers ... and then the bagpipe player played Amazing Grace. It was awesome.

Ok, so I missed the 100th post

I just realized that my last post was my 100th post on the Johnston Chronicles! I think in the blogging world, when you get to the 100th post, you're suppose to write 100 things about yourself. Um? I don't think I even know 100 things about myself....

I will try...

1. I married my best friend over 30 years ago.
2. I love living in a small town.
3. I grew up in a HUGE CITY. (Don't they say the grass is always greener on the other side?)
4. For the first ... about 7 -8 years of our marriage, we might have bought one or two loaves of bread. I made it all...no breadmaker....just me.
5. I use to make everything from scratch - including ketchup and mayonnaise.
6. I made Ron sick on Curried Garbonzo Beans...
7. Ron now HATES curry.
8. I just bought a Thai Yellow Curry Sauce at Trader Joes...wonder if he'll try it?
9. I LOVE to travel.
10. I've been to England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Monaco, Italy, (including Sicily) and Malta.
11. I'm going to Australia in less than 4 weeks!
12. I absolutely love my family.
13. I have one daughter...who I absolutely cherish!
14. I have two sons...who I also absolutely cherish!
15. I still call my children 'my baby boy...or my baby girl' even though they're 26, 28 and 31!
16. I feel blessed that we love their spouses.
17. I have one granddaughter, Thalia, who melts my heart.
18. My mom is my dear friend...of which I am so thankful.
19. I lost my Dad 27 years ago on June 13th
20 I still miss him.
21. I called my mom's mom, Mimi, and that's what Thalia calls me.
22. I have 9 dear girlfriends who I have been friends with for about 16 years!
23. I love to read.
24. I love to watercolor...although I haven't been painting lately.
25. I love hot weather.
26. I love to drink ice tea and have an oscillating fan on when it's hot outside.
27. I love sunflowers.
28. My hair has turned white or grey...my hairdresser calls it "SILVER"....baloney, its grey!
29. I'm 52, almost 53 years old.
30. Mom says age is a number. Um? Sometimes 52 is an OLD number, sometimes it's not.
31. I am a teacher...I teach 4th graders.
32. My brother and I have gotten closer as we've gotten older. I've always loved him, but he use to be a brat.
33. Ron and I have no sisters between us...only brothers.
34. My in-laws live on a farm.
35. I was the daughter my in-laws never had for quite a few years.
36. I HATE oysters.
37. I LOVE Mexican food.
38. Chips are my downfall.
39. I make a delicious cosmo.
40. I love to go to movies even though we never go....
41. Ron falling asleep in the theater is the reason for number 40.
42. I'm usually a very patient person. (Except for the situation in number 41)
43. I lost someone very precious, very dear to me, on April 16.
44. Camilla taught me so much...
45. I wish I hadn't learned it and she was still here.
46. I love to write...hence, this blog!
47. My dad was a writer.
48. My dad made nicknames for people and always called them that.
49. He called me Ju-Ju.
50. My mom did not pass on her competitive genes to me.
51. I love to drive.
52. I just bought a video I-pod...cause it holds 7,500 songs
53. I now have 250 songs on it...and that seems like a lot!
54. I love it when I have all my family together.
55. We're getting ready to remodel part of our house.
56. We've lived in this house for nearly 20 years!
57. I still can't stand the weather here after all this time!
58. I love Jesus.
59. I'll have to ask Him why I'm living in a cold climate.
60. I get cold so easy...
61. We'll have a wood stove in our new addition.
62. I love to go on walks.
63. I'm a night-owl...always have been.
64. I'm excited and surprised that I'm on number 64!
65. My dad took me to see the first Beatles movie.
66. He bought me a Beatles sweatshirt...it was white and I loved it.
67. My brother use to tell me that someday he'd be a big girl and I'd be a little boy.
68. I wear mostly silver/white gold/platinum jewelry.
69. I love James Avery Jewelry.
70. I love diamonds...
71. Donnie, Emily, and Erica are very special to me...
72. I try to be a good mother-in-law.
73. I love to cook.
74. I've taken Cooking Light magazine for over 10 years.
75. Some of my friends and I have Cooking Light dinners at least a couple of times a year.
76. I drive a Honda...my previous car was a Honda...and my next car will probably be a Honda.
77. I love coffee...with cream...no sugar.
78. I read the Bible completely through in 88 days...it was incredible.
79. I don't play sports - because I'd be a liability.
80. I am not a daredevil by any stretch of the imagination.
81. Thalia told me I drove a quad too slow. "Hurry up, Mimi, you're going too slow!"
82. My oldest baby boy is coming up with Thalia in 8 days. I'M EXCITED.
83. I get to see my youngest two kids almost monthly.
84. I'm involved with an organization called People to People.
85. Summer is my favorite season BY FAR!
86. I wear glasses...and wish I could wear contacts.
87. Wearing contacts for me would fit fact #80 about me.
88. I'm not a big shopper.
89. I DO love to go to Costco.
90. I don't watch TV except for January - May when American Idol is on.
91. I think Melinda Doolittle should have won this year..but she didn't.
92. I love red wine...
93. Ron and I discovered a new red wine a couple of weeks ago...Claret...yum!
94. I use to want to be short.
95. My first car was a red pinto. Ron called it the "pinto bean".
96. Eskie was my first and only cat.
97. I've had a number of dogs...Jacque was my favorite.
98. I sleep under two fans every single night - one ceiling fan and one oscillating.
99. I take my favorite Starbucks mug everywhere I go.
100. I'm tired of writing these things about me...but can't believe I even thought of 100.

This is what small town USA is all about

This may just look a ragamuffin group of guys, but look again...this is a skilled group of Sand Lot baseball players! I'm not sure if they're in first place or not....but we'll find out.

This was another day in small town USA. John has been organizing what he terms Sand Lot baseball games for...Dick (the commentator and father of one of the star players) thinks 7 or 8 years. On this day, the media was there. THE MEDIA of course was a not-so-famous blogger and a not-so-famous MP3 player announcer...commonly called Judy and Dick.

Here's Dick going after that elusive interview:


After some coaxing...fast talking...whatever commentators do, Dick was able to catch a quick interview with Jordan, who claims to be batting .500 and Jeff...a star pitcher!




Because of a prior commitment, part of THE MEDIA...the part with the video camera had to rush off before the big game heated up. Here's a little non-action batting until our next scheduled game. Be sure and note the form of the catcher...the precision with which the batters are warming up...this is Sand Lot baseball at its best:

Hallelujah! My mug was found...or The Perfect Away-From Home Coffee Mug

I was in an absolute panic yesterday. (That might be a slight exaggeration, but close!) I was poking around the house - knowing I NEEDED to get myself in gear and get to school...and then the panic set in when I COULDN'T FIND MY COFFEE MUG! Now this isn't just ANY mug, no mam, it's my Starbucks mug. And that's not just ANY Starbucks mug, no mam. It's one I bought...um, at least 12 years ago in San Francisco. My buddy, Laner, and I were there for a National Math Conference...and I bought it on Chestnut Street.

Can you tell I LOVE my mug?
Well, I ALWAYS have my mug...I use it every single work day, and most weekend days. And yesterday it was G-O-N-E. Well, I put the lid on my panic, telling myself I MUST have left it at school. So I took Ron's STARBUCKS mug which is not as good by any stretch of the imagination. Off I went to school.

PANIC set in once again while I frantically searched my classroom. By the time some of my kids came in I said in a little louder voice than normal "MRS. JOHNSTON IS IN DISTRESS!!!" My Cole asked why. I began to explain...I didn't cry...but the knot in my stomach was forming.

Did I say I LOVE my mug?

Well, Cole, very eagerly said, "You mean the one with the black thing in the middle?"

"YES COLE!"

"I think I saw it in the library," he told me.

Well, I told him I didn't think that was right...although I HAD taken my class there Friday afternoon...but I KNEW I had brought it back to class. I told Cole this. He insisted that he thought he had seen it on the CORNER OF THE TABLE!

Did I dare let my hopes soar? What did I have to lose? I told Cole I would give him the moon if it was there. (Actually, I didn't really say that, but I think I did offer promises of something good.) Off we went...scurrying towards the library.

We walk in.
Cole looks at the table.
No mug.
My heart sinks...his heart is disappointed.
We head out ....................... and
there by the door, in all her radiance, was MY MUG...

it even still had my tea in it from last Friday...................

Cole had a great snack of his choice of 3 granola bars and a can of guava juice.

Compliments of a very happy teacher!









I even use it when I blog...sometimes.

Hanging out in Ashland, Oregon

Our Ashland weekend was wonderful! It was great to get away, to celebrate our anniversary, to just take long walks, eat out every meal, visit some winerys, and to see a GREAT play. We definitely enjoyed ourselves!





Lithia Park is beautiful...we strolled through there a little, not as much as I wanted...but it brought back a lot of memories. I use to take 'the boys'....Joshua and Gabe...there. They always loved to watch the ducks.Saturday night we went to the Cabaret Theater and saw 'Western Civilization.' Brian had told me about this place...I'd never heard of it. He and Andrea prefer it now over Shakespeare. So we tried it and it was FABULOUS! The theater is in an old restored Baptist Church. During intermission, you can have dessert and or drinks brought to your table. (Everyone sits at tables. Ron and I had a little table for two on the front row balcony...it was perfect!) We had chocolate DickHay Pie!
Sunday, we visited some winerys and discovered a new wine for us. CLARET. Neither one of us had ever heard of it...but, um, um...I recommend it highly if you like red wine. The last winery we went to was outside of Jacksonville...and called Jacksonville Vineyards. It was absolutely beautiful...peaceful...and run by Dave!

We pulled up to the winery about 5:25 p.m. and saw that it had closed at 5 p.m. RATS! But we got out of the car to look at the grounds. Here came Dave out of the winery. I told him we had just pulled up and knew they were closed. "Ah, don't worry about it, come on in..." he basically said. He took us in, talked to us for a good while, and we again sampled some CLARET and bought our second bottle... He explained to us that a CLARET is made from a blend of the five Bordeaux grapes...in any combination. All five grapes don't have to be used.

The town of Jacksonville is like stepping back in time. It had been so long since we had been there and I remembered the charm and wanted to go back. Many of the shops were closed - late Sunday afternoon - but we still enjoyed walking around and going in the stores that were open.

Ron commented when we were heading back home - how we always have such a good time when we go away for the weekend...and we just don't do it enough. I think we need to change that!