Another good day in the neighborhood…Minnesota photos…

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All of the photos shown today were shot when we drove back roads to Monday night’s restaurant.

Yesterday was a quieter day than those of the past almost three weeks. At about 11:00 am, Tom drove to Coon Rapids (about 40 minutes from the hotel) to pick up Sister Beth to take her to the airport to return to Milwaukee.

Taking his time visiting with two of his six sisters, he returned to the hotel by 1:00 pm. So I decided to take advantage of my free time to work on a few important projects in his absence.

This is what I always loved about living in the western suburbs of Minneapolis; long driveways, big lots, and massive trees and vegetation.

I started with booking our flight to Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 1st. Then I decided to go through all of my new clothes, remove price tags, and fold the many items, most of which I neatly placed into my new suitcase. 

In the process, I went through the few drawers of clothing in the small chest of drawers noting any items I may need going forward, making a shortlist on my phone. When I was finished with my clothing, I began assessing Tom’s wardrobe, realizing he needed at least four more short sleeves button-up shirts suitable for evenings on cruises. 

Wild vegetation bordered by maturing trees often creates a country-like feel.

I’d already purchase four shirts for him at the Macy’s sale, but that would hardly be enough when clean laundry is always an issue. So when Tom returned, I was busy shopping online at the Macy’s sale for more of the same shirts in more colors. They were on sale from around $60 to only $20 to $22 each. 

With no shipping fees or sales tax, it made sense to order online.  Also, I ordered a third pair of Capri jeans in yet another shade in the same brand I’d purchased only a few days ago. 

There are many parks in heavily wooded areas.

Finally, styles have changed, and the stores are selling high waist pants that are considerably more flattering for most women than that crazy hip-hugger, low-rise jeans with four-inch zippers.  Try zipping up those jeans after a big meal!  I was thrilled, to say the least, and ended up buying three pairs of Capri-length jeans to replace my heavier and bulkier jeans. 

Capris may be out of style, but I don’t care much about fashion, nor will it matter in any of the countries we’re visiting in the future. Function, comfort, and durability matter to me. The high-quality jeans retail for $98 each, and I purchased them for $58 each at the current “Father’s Day” sale prices.

A dog-friendly park with a level path for those pleasant evening walks.

The time flew by while Tom busied himself with his usual online interests while I continued organizing and packing. At this point, when it’s time to finish packing for Las Vegas, I can be done in 15 minutes or less.

After the accomplished day, I didn’t feel like going to a restaurant for dinner. So instead, we drove to the Jimmy John’s shop in Wayzata (via back roads when the traffic was horrendous), ordered our unwiches (no bread), and headed back to the hotel to lounge on the sofa in our suite and have our meal at the TV trays Tammy loaned us weeks ago.

There are many swampy and algae-filled bodies of water in Minnesota, along with its over 15,000 lakes.

We plugged in the HDMI cord from my laptop to the TV, and for the first time since we left Sydney, Australia, on April 22nd, we watched one of our Graboid downloaded TV shows, an episode of Scandal.  Mindless and easy to watch, we got lost in an easy pastime we’d hadn’t done for such a long time.

After we ate, I changed into my nightshirt, climbed into bed, and placed my laptop atop a pillow on my lap. I had to get today’s post started and hopefully completed since picking up Maisie tomorrow at 8:00 am to make it back in time for the hotel’s “fun” self-serve breakfast the kids love so much.

Cattails are commonly found in lakes and shallow bodies of water.

Today, Tom is off to a St. Paul Saint’s baseball game with son TJ while Maisie and I entertain ourselves. Maisie and I will end the day at Madighan’s soccer game starting at 6:00 pm. By 8:00 pm, Tom and I will be on our way to meet at a restaurant for dinner. 

It will be another action-packed day with each of us going our separate ways to maximize the time we can spend with our respective children and grandchildren. In the evenings, it’s enjoyable to recap our day’s experiences spent with family and friends.

Natural habitats such as this are a haven for birds and other wildlife.

May your day be action-packed and rewarding!

Photo from one year ago today, June 14, 2016:

During an uncommonly heavy rainstorm in Bali, I went out to the freezer in the garage to get some ice.  I saw this long black thing, referred to as an omangomang in Balinese, moving along the garage floor.  I called out to Tom to come to see it. He grabbed the camera and came running. Creepy.  Was that an eye looking out at us? For more details, please click here.

A stormy day…Power outages…Credit card frustration…

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Across the Bay in Vancouver, we could see the Olympic Mountains. At first, we thought this was a view of clouds, not mountains.

Yesterday morning, after our usual complimentary breakfast at the Country Inn & Suites country kitchen, we sat in the comfy lounge/living room to work on the day’s post.

With the storm raging outside, we were content to be indoors while the rain pelted against the windows. It took a little longer than usual to upload the post due to our distraction over the weather. We were both curious to see what was transpiring on the news.

By 1:00 pm, I was out the door amid a few sprinkles with heavily overcast clouds for my first visit to a Target store for the first time in many years. Tom desperately needed a new pair of black jeans and always preferred Wrangler’s essential brand, which Target sells.

His old pair of black jeans had developed white lines where they were folded, most likely due to overwashing and years of use. I asked him to come along with me to try them on, and he agreed. But I knew how much he dislikes shopping and offered to go on my own.

When I arrived at the Ridgehaven Mall Target Store in Minnetonka, I could tell something was amiss. Upon nearing the entrance, I could tell the lights were out, undoubtedly caused by the storm. 

A tall totem pole in Victoria.

Entering the store, an employee greeted me, offered a cart, and explained the power outage would prevent the sale of any refrigerated foods. The current generator wasn’t sufficiently powerful to allow for ample lighting, especially toward the store’s back.

Well, the men’s jeans were located in the back of the store. Bound and determined to find Tom the black jeans, I headed toward the department; my little LED flashlight in hand. From a lack of recent use, the battery was dying, providing very little light.

Luckily, a helpful employee offered to assist me in finding the correct size in near-total darkness. Alas, we were in luck and found Tom’s oddball size, 36/30 (short for a guy at 6′ feet tall). I was thrilled. I had little interest in returning to the store on another day.

After rolling the cart around the dimly lit store, I managed to find a few toiletry items, two large handled insulated mugs (our two such mugs desperately needed to be replaced), and a big glass Ball jar to hold our iced tea. (I wasn’t about to drink one more glass made in that toxic plastic bottle Tom had been using in our hotel room).

When I went to check out, my Visa credit card was declined.  There was no reason why this should happen. I used a different card but felt frustrated. Immediately upon returning to the red rental SUV, I called the number on the back of the card only to be told my shopping in the USA was suspect. 

“Was the card stolen?” they asked. Ha! That’s ironic. Here I’m using a US credit card in the US, and its use is suspect. Then, they asked for a phone number to verify my identity when their “caller ID” showed my new SIM card number, which they didn’t recognize according to my record. 

Pond view from the moving vehicle.

The only number they had in their system was my old cell phone number from years ago. I guess I never bothered to update it using our Skype phone number in Nevada. 

When I tried to give the rep that number, oh, she didn’t like that.  When I reminded her to look up my account and our world travel with charges from many countries, in addition to many years of flawless payments paying it off each month, she reconsidered, especially when I asked to speak to a supervisor.

In moments, I answered her identity-verifying-questions correctly, she apologized and released the card for use. I supposed I understand they’re trying to prevent theft of the card, but it wasn’t very pleasant nonetheless.

A wild deer was grazing in a park.

Leaving the Target parking lot, I headed to the Payless Shoe Store in the same outdoor mall only to discover a handwritten sign on the door that read, “Closed due to the power outage.” I returned to the SUV and was back on the road again, this time to return to Macy’s for their huge sale.

As we take every possible moment of free time to shop to replace our old and worn clothing, a trip back to Macy’s was on the agenda for me. I’d already purchased enough for Tom and a few items for me, but now it was my turn to finish it up.

Within an hour, including time in the fitting room, I was done.  I’d purchased six items, valued at $397 for a paltry $94 considering all the discounts the store was offering. One item was $79, for which I paid $20. Wow! With a sale like that, I was actually enjoying the shopping and loved every item I’d selected.

Historic house in Victoria.

Now, minus a few other items, we’re almost done shopping. What a relief!  Starting fresh with new items feels rewarding and elicits more enthusiasm than one might experience by “adding” to a wardrobe instead of “replacing” a worn wardrobe.

Back at the hotel, I raved to Tom about my deals. He smiled, happy that I’d enjoyed the bargains but in his usual manner had little interest in seeing what I’d purchased. I suppose for some; it’s a “guy thing.” For others, gender is of little significance in determining who’s interested and who’s not, concerning their beloved partner’s wardrobe.

A short time after I returned to the hotel, it was time to meet TJ, Sarah, Jayden, and Nik for dinner next door at Grizzly’s. We had a great dinner together amid idle chatter among the six of us. We lingered at the table for quite a while, and then, they were on their way after goodbye hugs all around. Another good family get- together!

Hilltop view of Victoria, British Columbia.

Last night, I began preparing today’s post to bring our laptops down to the hotel’s living room while watching the Tony Awards on the big screen TV (larger than the TV in our suite). 

As tired as I was, it made no sense to wait to prepare a post in the morning when I’d have grandson Miles with me for most of the day, picking him up at 8:00 am this morning in time to return to the hotel for the breakfast which ends at 9:30 am.

I haven’t decided what he and I will do tomorrow, but I’m sure once we chat in the car, we’ll come up with a good plan. Whatever we do, Miles and I will have a good time. Tom will be gone part of the day to attend a railroad association meeting, returning later in the day.

That’s it for today, folks. Finally, I’m close to wrapping up the photos from Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia and, I apologize for not taking many photos so far here in Minnesota.  Soon, I’ll be out of photos and have to get the “show on the road” sharing new and interesting photos of Minnesota.  Hmm…maybe that’s what Miles and I can do tomorrow, weather permitting.

Have a good day! 

Photo from one year ago today, June 12, 2016:

Ants carrying off a dead gecko in Bali. For more photos, please click here.

Time spent with Tom’s Sister Beth from Milwaukee and more family members…

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Walking along the path at Butchart Gardens, we noticed this opening in the trees to this beautiful view.

It was 8:40 pm Tuesday. We had just returned from Tom’s sister Patty’s home, a good 40-minute drive back to our hotel. Today at 7:45 am, we’re driving in rush hour traffic to pick up Maisie for the day, and yesterday I’d yet to spend five minutes preparing today’s post as I’d hoped to do to free me up to spend time with her.

Too pooped to complete the post in its entirety last night, I decided to get a head start on it before bed and finish it this morning. By the time I am ready to head out the door to drive to St. Louis Park, this post was done and posted early today.

Apparently, as a part of the landscape, this opening provided an interesting view for visitors.

Now, I can spend the day with Maisie giving her my undivided attention. We have a busy day planned; buffet breakfast here at the hotel (the kids love this), shopping at the Albertville Outlet Mall, and if time allows, a movie she chooses, of course befitting her mature 10 years of age.

Yesterday was a flurry of activity. We were up, showered, and dressed by 7:00 am making our way downstairs for an early breakfast. By 8:30, we were seated in the hotel’s lounge while fast and furiously I banged away at the keyboard to ensure we’d be out the door no later than 11:40 am to pick up Betty (Sister Beth) at the airport for her 12:05 pm arriving flight.

A pond on the grounds.

Unfortunately, Tom didn’t have his phone on him (it was in the backseat of the SUV in the computer bag) and didn’t hear the ring when Betty called to let him know she’d arrived a little earlier than expected. We were waiting for her in the wrong spot on the baggage level, finally spotting her a while later.

Once the three of us were on our way, we decided to visit their brother (my brother-in-law) Jerome, who’d been taken to the hospital the previous night with acute back pain. Worried it was something serious, he was rushed to hospital by ambulance leaving us all concerned over his condition.

A stone temple statue at the side of a pond in the Japanese Garden.

Jerome is 88 years old, totally blind, and extremely hard of hearing but generally in good health. Lately, he hadn’t been feeling well and perhaps, this bout in the hospital might be just what he needed to determine what’s causing him pain. 

To date, a specific cause of Jerry’s pain is unknown other than the usual often painful conditions commensurate with aging.  He’s being treated with meds in hopes of making him more comfortable. After a short stint at a local nursing home where he’ll have physical therapy,  he’ll be able to return to his home.

We were surprised there weren’t a lot of birds in the ponds and man-made lakes.

We were sad to see him suffering but felt relieved there was no seeming underlying cause of major concern.  We’ll continue to visit him over our remaining month in Minnesota.

By 3:00 pm, we arrived at Patty’s home, dropped Betty off, and made our way to a local grocery store to purchase food for dinner at Patty’s. We purchased three roasted chickens, scalloped potatoes, sweet corn, veggie platter, and fixings for coleslaw which I made once we returned. We were all hungry, and by 4:15, the five of us, including Tom’s nephew Jim, were gathered around Patty’s kitchen table.

Early Spring is a perfect time to visit Butchart Gardens with flowers in full bloom.

A short time later, more family arrived and joined us in the meal and idle chatter, including Tom’s niece Kari (a big fan of our site and travels, bless her heart), sister Mary Ellen and husband Eugene, and sister Colleen and husband, Gene. 

Thank goodness we’d purchased enough to feed others. Everyone dug in and pulled up more chairs around the table. It was a typical Lyman gathering; food, drinks, and lively conversation. It couldn’t have been more fun!

This gorgeous flower quickly caught our attention.

I’d hoped to work on today’s post while at Patty’s, but she doesn’t have Internet access in her home. She wasn’t even interested in learning to use a computer or smartphone, not unusual for those in their 80’s or older.

By 8:00 pm, while a few others began to say their goodbyes, I gave Tom “the look” that perhaps it was our time to head back to the hotel and get today’s post going. He fully understood, and we headed back to the hotel arriving at 8:40 pm. 

Statue of wild pig that many visitors consider good luck when rubbing its nose. 

By 9:30 pm, I couldn’t type one more word and closed the laptop for the night with a plan to finish the first thing in the morning. Awakening at 5:00 am, I finally dragged myself out of bed by 6:00 am knowing I had better “get the show on the road.” No doubt, today will be another fine day with lovely granddaughter Maisie.

We’ll be back at you tomorrow with more. Have a lovely day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 7, 2016:

In Bali, we spotted this friendly neighbor (no English) making bowls, as shown in her hands, used for offerings at the Hindu temples. For more photos, please click here.

It’s a whirlwind…Living in a hotel for six weeks…What’s that like?…Shopping photos…

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Our two new pieces of luggage in easy-to-spot colors. Tom chose purple while I chose this peachy color. Each bag is expandable and lightweight, with four double-wheel rollers.

This is the longest period we’ll have spent in a hotel since the onset of our travels, beginning on October 31, 2012.  Many have asked why we chose a hotel over staying in a vacation/holiday home while in Minnesota for six weeks. Wouldn’t that be more cost-effective and convenient?

Not necessarily. There are several reasons we chose to stay in a hotel during this extended period from May 26, 2017, to July 7, 2017, a total of 42 nights. One consideration was the cost. It’s expensive to rent a house in Minnesota, but that definitely wasn’t the single most important reason.

Now that we’re here, we realize what a good decision it was to be free of planning meals, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, and doing dishes. Without the responsibility of these daily tasks, we’re free to spend time with family and friends at our leisure. We love the freedom.

With a $30 a day budget for dining out so far, we’re totally on track, even slightly under at $81.62 for the three nights we’ve dined in restaurants; Grizzly’s, Champs, and Chipotle. 

We save considerably on restaurant tabs by not consuming cocktails, other beverages, appetizers, and desserts.  Tom says he’s had enough alcohol over these past two 33-night cruises (plus an additional two nights spent in Vancouver) that he’s on a break from drinking anything at all with a possible few exceptions for special functions.

Since I’m only drinking water right now with an occasional cup of herbal tea and trying not to drink anything while eating to improve digestion, it’s easy for me to avoid ordering beverages. Neither of us orders any sodas or sweetened drinks.

Tom’s two new pairs of shoes; one pair Nike tennis shoes and a pair of Nike slides ideal for casual living in upcoming vacation homes.

Thus, it’s easy to dine out for our preferred budgetary expenditure without giving it a second thought, especially when neither of us has a desire to dine in expensive restaurants. 

Much to my delight, I’ve had no problem ordering meals befitting my way of eating. Last night’s Chipotle salad bowl was indeed a rare treat. I haven’t had Chipotle since we left Minnesota four years and seven months ago. 

By ordering only the beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and guacamole, I was able to stay close to the limited number of carbs that I can consume daily. I practically moaned over the delicious concoction. On the other hand, Tom didn’t care for his beef burrito, claiming it had too much rice and not enough beef.

The day was great. Greg, Camille, and the three grandchildren came for breakfast at our hotel at 9:00 am, after which the kids swam in one of the hotel’s two swimming pools. It was fun to see them frolic and laugh, swimming and splashing in the pool, something we’ve missed for so long with all six of our grandchildren.

After they left, we visited Tom’s nephew Tim, and Tom’s sister Margie happened to be visiting Tim as well.  What a pleasant surprise! We have many more visits planned with Tom’s family members over the remaining days in Minnesota.

Afterward, we headed to TJ Maxx to see if we could find two new pieces of luggage. Our two large bags were literally falling apart. We exited the store a short time later, wheeling two colorful 30″ lightweight suitcases to the SUV for under $175. 

The regular retail prices for the two bags were four times the prices we actually paid. The odd colors resulted in several price reductions. We love odd colors on luggage. It makes them easier to spot when coming down the baggage carousel at airports and cruise terminals and less likely to be stolen. Most thieves prefer to swipe less noticeable black bags.

While at the mall, without any expectations, we wandered into a Famous Footwear store. We both desperately needed new shoes when a few of our individual five pairs were falling apart. 

Yesterday, daughter-in-law Camille let me try on her similarly styled shoes, and I was thrilled to find an equally comfortable style at Famous Footwear.

A short time later, we were back on the road, each with two new pairs of shoes. Tom purchased a pair of black Nike tennis shoes and black Nike slides, while I purchased black Clark sandals (my favorite brand) and a pair of casual waterproof shoes, as shown in the photo.

Our total bill for the four pairs was $219.36! What a deal! Nike tennis shoes were over $200 in Australia. Now, Tom can toss the $13 Adidas knockoffs he purchased in Hanoi last summer.  Surprisingly, they’ve served him well.

We’ll each toss two pairs of worn-out shoes which we’ll continue wearing until we fly to Nevada on July 7th, squeaking out every last drop of use. In doing so, we’ll each maintain a total of five pairs of shoes, exactly what fits into our bags.

Later in the day, Tammy and Vincent stopped at our hotel, dropping off two TV trays (there’s no dining table in our hotel room) and a cooler (we have a small refrigerator, but this works for picnics, etc.). It was delightful chatting with them and, we look forward to many more such occasions with all of our children and grandchildren.

Today, we’re staying put until we head to Eden Prairie, arriving at 4:00 pm for dinner at friends Chere and Gary’s home. Chere and I have stayed in very close touch all these years, occasionally through Skype and often daily via email. How fun it will be to begin seeing our many friends as well as our family members.

That’s it for today, friends. We’ll be back each day with more…

Photo from one year ago today, May 30, 2016:

The look on the buffalo’s mouth on the right inspired me to get a close-up of this buffalo’s teeth when we attended a buffalo race in Bali. For more details, please click here.

Sometimes it hurts…

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Awakening at 5:50 am after a fitful night, feeling exhausted from “running” in one confusing dream upon another, a wave of sorrow ran through me.  

This past Sunday was the memorial service for our beloved friend Chip. I wrote about him in my June 1, 2012 post (please see the archives) and was honored to be asked by his wife and our friend, Sue, to share that post during the service, with the many devoted family members and friends in attendance to say their last goodbyes to this very fine man. 

Lying in bed, thinking about Chip no longer being four doors away, that involuntary rush of tears filled my eyes. Deciding to distract myself, I ventured to “read my phone,” a habit I’ve acquired since first owning a smart phone; read my email, peruse last night’s texts arriving after we’d gone to bed, check out my newest Facebook blurbs and scan through Engadget‘s daily updates for the latest advances in technology.

Spotting a lengthy text from my dear younger sister Julie, a Hollywood TV producer, I breezed through the usual, saving her message for last. She plans to make her last visit here soon to once again celebrate her birthday. I was touched by her words, “Your home has been my haven, my peaceful place to go to recoup, to recover, to celebrate so many times in my life.” The tears flowed freely.

I was reminded how hard it must be, not only for us, but for all of our loved ones, to no longer have access to this comfortable home, surrounded by water, abounding with the gifts from Mother Nature and often overpowered by the aroma of loving prepared home cooked food.

It wasn’t perfect. It never is. But, it was our home for many years. We did our best to make it “home” for a little while to whomever graced our door, to send them home with returnable containers filled with food, always hoping they’d return soon to fill them once again. And they did.

While I allowed a little sob to escape my lips, determinedly I jumped out of bed, anxious to tackle the day’s tasks, so many of which lately revolved around the “preparations,” a seemingly endless list that must be accomplished in 3 months and 8 days from today, the day we leave.

WorldWideWille, a fine dog 

Scurrying around the house, bath water running, I emptied the dishwasher, filled and fired up the tea pot (still not drinking coffee!), neatly made the bed, and stopped to take a deep breath while staring out the window.  

My eyes fixated on the tiny headstone, a gift from a dog loving friend, where our little Australian Terrier WorldWideWillie was laid to rest only 15 long months ago. 

(If you are a dog lover, click the above link to his blog, written from his perspective, over the last days of his life. Please scroll the archives to get to the beginning). 

The tears, not quite gone, reappeared with a sob, for a moment, sucking the air out of my lungs.  Willie was named for our interest and love for the wealth of information provided by the Internet so long ago, as this blog was named as a tribute to him, for our interest and love for him. 

Ah, life is so complex, yet so simple, so joyful, yet so sad. We lose the ones we love, both human and animal, maybe now, maybe later, grasping each moment as a gift, as a memory that we behold wherever we may go for however long we may have.

The house and the things in it, the ambiance created by its warmth and charm, the breathtaking views surrounding it, is merely the tools that we used to build the memories. When the tools are gone, the memories will remain, forever in our hearts and minds.

A half hour later, ready for the day, my tears dried, a second cup of tea in hand, I heard a knock at the door. There stood my next door neighbor and friend, smiling from ear to ear, just in time for me to whip up a low carb breakfast of gluten free, Portobello mushroom, Vidalia onion, and spicy pepperoni omelets laced with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Life is good.

Sunday Morning…

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Ceramic tea set our granddaughter used to serve us “tea.”  I saved this set for her as we made totes for our grandchildren filled with memorabilia.
As we sat in our comfy chairs this morning, a rerun of Sunday Morning playing in the background, our precious little granddaughter almost three years old, served us “pretend” tea from this tea set which had gone unnoticed on the bookcase for almost 26 years.
Where I found this miniature tea set fails me. Was it an arts and crafts fair, an antique shop, Apple Days in Excelsior, or merely a local garage sale? In any case, most likely I didn’t pay more than $10 for it. 

But this morning when our tiny overnight visitor served us the tiny cups of “pretend” tea, it was priceless. When she leaves later today to return home, I will carefully wrap and place this little treasure in the bins we are saving for each of our grandchildren, little treasures from our past for our treasured young loved ones. Ouch!

Wiping tears from my eyes, Tom suggested I look at the TV for a moment to see a story on Sunday Morning about Fiesta of which we have main dinner service for 25 plus a wide array of plates, serving pieces, bowls and glasses. 

In 2004, we remodeled our kitchen combining three rooms into one large space. Due to our close proximity to the lake, zoning restrictions prevented us from “building out.”

With seating for 12 at the giant wood island, eight at the 60″ square table, three at the corner banquet and two more in comfy chairs for a total of 25.
River rock granite and stones on side of fireplace.
Our Fiestaware dishes brought out the colors.

Thus, began our (mostly mine) fixation on dinnerware for 25. Searching for months online for style, function and price, we finally decided on Fiesta for several reasons:

1. We were able to choose four base colors all of which matched our river rock granite counter tops and hand picked river rock boulders in the fireplace. This resulted in either a mix and match place setting for smaller groups or one or two color place settings at any time.

2. Timeless style – Fiesta was introduced over 80 years ago

3.  Durable – I am constantly dropping things (or, as Tom would say,  I’m “a bull in a China shop.”

4.  Easy to find replacement pieces on eBay and other web sites.

5.  Playful or elegant depending upon the selection of our many matching linen napkins and place mats and, of course, the manner of folding the napkins.  Yes, I have been using linen napkins all of my adult life, folded in a style befitting the occasion along with other decorative accouterments including flowers, candles, flatware, etc.
Sample of the colors in our Fiesta dinnerware.

This was fun! Tom wasn’t into cloth napkins when I met him. In time, he came over to the other side, leaving me chuckling when he occasionally helped set the table, gingerly placing the folded napkin in the correct spot. That’s my man!

Let’s not forget for a moment that we met halfway on the multitude of differences we immediately observed when we started dating. (Those will be a point of discussion in a future post). Adapting to each other’s taste and differences is part of the reason we will be able to continue to be happy when we’re together 24/7, beginning this October 31st! We are continually challenged and intrigued by these differences while being delighted by the accommodations we each make to please each other.

Needless to say, Fiesta… in its entirety will be sold at our upcoming estate sale or sooner. Bye, bye dishes! Any takers?P.S. If its hard to say goodbye to dishes, how can one fathom saying goodbye to family and friends? Stuffing that for now. Will deal later.