Half Full

Continuing down (or up) memory road. In 1982 John and I hiked with my two daughters, Cynthia and Melanie to Pyramid Peak. It's memorable because it was the first (but not last) time I got really angry with him. The hike took about 12 hours and by the end of it I was certain he had tried to kill all 3 of us. He kept telling me I could rest and wait for them to come back down. So, I would find a spot I liked and sit down to enjoy the wild flowers and lovely breeze. He would sit, too and wait patiently until I gave in and kept hiking. In retrospect, I'm glad he challenged me like that, but I didn't see it that way back then. The views were incredible and I never would have done it on my own. We all survived, but it was difficult and I lost the entire back of my jeans and developed severe blisters on my feet from ill-fitting boots. John beat us to the end of the trail and we could see him blowing kisses and making love signs. I really wanted to choke him (if Carmen reads this she will understand). I think it made me a stronger person. I hope my daughters forgave him, too. I felt very close to God on top of that mountain. Next installment will be the proposal at Half Dome. Stay tuned.

My 20th Wedding Anniversary

Memories flooding my head and heart today. On September 1st my husband, John and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. Seems like yesterday but also seems like long ago. The house I lived in when I first starting "seeing" John is for sale in our town. They had an Open House today and I went to see it. Most of it looked exactly like it did 29 years ago, but I didn't remember the fireplace being there. When I got home, I told John about it and he said he remembered the fireplace. He didn't live there, but he has a much better memory for some things than I do. I remembered cooking vegetable lasagne and hanging clothes on the line outside and my oldest daughter and my son and dogs my daughter loved. John would come visit and tell me long jokes and we would watch television. He walked to see me because he didn't have a car then. He lived on the other side of town near where our home is now. The pictures I'm using here were taken at various times and different places. John as a boy on the East coast (left coast as they call it), our wedding with our two sons James and Kai at Saint Patrick's Church in Placerville, John and Kai and I at my Mom's in Clearlake, me and my daughter, Melanie on my wedding day - Melanie sang at our wedding and it was so meaningful to us, John in a field of poppies on the way to my Mom's (my favorite picture of him - I took it and I love the smile he is giving me). We had planned a trip this week to go to San Francisco and then up to School House Beach to collect pebbles. We have done that before, so it's kind of a tradition. I started kindergarten in San Francisco when I was 4 years old. It looks like we won't be going, though. That makes me sad. I was really looking forward to the trip.