The OC Fair

Last weekend, Mike had to go into work late on Sunday afternoon.  Thinking I'd be able to get more sunset shots again, I grabbed the camera.  After he worked for a couple of hours, I went outside to talk to Justin on the phone.  Mike came out a bit later and said he was done, but rather than going to the beach, did I want to go to the Orange County Fair?  Shoot, yea!  I haven't been to a fair in years!  So off we went.

When we got to Costa Mesa's Fair grounds, Mike asked if I wanted to take my camera along.  Seriously, I was imagining rides with the camera and decided to put it in the trunk.  So off we went.  After paying to get in, all of the sudden it hit me...  the smells, the sights, the heart pumping music and the carnival barkers trying to get your attention!  It was amazing! Bigger than any fair I've been to (other than the Texas State Fair), it brought back memories of the local county fair I grew up attending.

It wasn't until we saw our first food vendors sign and after I took a photo with my cell phone that I decided that I really did want to have my camera afterall.  Mike, sweetheart that he is, walked back to the car to retrieve it for me!  As I waited for his return, I snapped a couple of photos to send to my sister via the cell phone. First picture I sent her... funnel cake booth!  An all time favorite of mine, I was practically drooling by the time Mike made it back with my camera. 

The neon lights are bewitching and this ride was no exception.  It took me a couple of tries to get all the neon lit up, but it was worth the effort to get it!  I love the colors and the lighting!  Here are a few more from the fair and I'm looking forward to going to another one soon.

If We Knew Then What We Know Now...

While I was in TN a couple of weeks ago, I was given a photo of me and my six siblings along with my Mom in the photo.  It was taken in our front yard, and judging from the way we're dressed, it had to have been taken after we got home from church on Easter Sunday. The year?  Probably around 1971. Of course Dad isn't in the photo... he took the photo!  Rare photo it is from our childhood to have Dad in it!

                   In front: Chris and Mary. Middle: Kevin, Scot, Mom, Roberta, Sharon; Larry in back.

Anyway, as I was looking at this photo, it occurred to me that we were all still in school, my brothers all still had hair, me and my sisters all had long hair, and all of us were smiling. We were all care free back then.  No worries other than not failing in a class at school! 

So looking at this photo and another photo taken 30 years later at my parents' 50th Anniversary party in 2001, I wondered... if we knew then what we know now... what would we have changed? 

Dad and Mom in front.  Mary, Chris, Sharon, Scot, Kevin, Roberta and Larry

Now, I can't speak for my siblings, but as for me... I'm not sure I would change much of anything knowing what I know now.  Things happen for a reason.  I haven't had the easiest of roads to follow. Bumps and detours along the way, but I've had Mike there with me for these past 30 years to help me along the way, steer me when I couldn't see the road, and let me go on alone when I needed the space and time. 

I've stumbled; fell; lost parts of me that won't be found again (thank goodness!); and I've climbed up from troubles to find the sweet happiness of knowing I've made it thru them all!  Although the path continues on, the path looks much smoother ahead since I have someone to walk it with me. Someone who will be with me until the end.

As I look at the photo of my parents' 50th Anniversary, I see my parents and siblings... arms around each other, my brothers with much less hair and more forehead, my sisters and I with shorter hair, all of us a bit heavier, and we are all still smiling.  Maybe like me, they wouldn't change much of anything either.

Balboa Beach Sunset

Mike had to go to work on Saturday to do some things. As it was later in the afternoon, we decided to go to Balboa Beach to watch the sunset.  As we don't get to see too many sunsets living on the east side of the mountains, I was having a great time taking photos of this one!

Will We Stay or Will We Go?

Will we stay or will we go?  I dunno.  This is being asked in more than one area of our lives right now! 

First, will we stay or will we go to Tennessee at the end of the week?  I dunno.  It depends on whether or not Mike gets a problem at work solved.  We're supposed to be taking a load of our possessions to our house in TN so that we can downsize our living quarters to another closer to Mike's work.

But then, will we stay or will we go ahead and move?  After looking at what's available, it looks to be mostly townhouses and Mike's not that hyped about living in a townhouse. He doesn't think he'll be able to work on Michael's car even with a two car garage attached to the townhouse.  So in looking at single family homes, the rent on those are above what we're wanting to spend.  So it looks like we may decide to stay where we're at for another 6 months to a year.

Will we stay or will we go to Texas in September when our first grandchild is born?  Again, I dunno.  I want to (very, very badly) but at this point I'm not sure that it will happen.  I suppose we'll just wait and see what happens with going to TN and moving or staying. 

Living life in limbo sucks!