Happy 30th Anniversary, Mike

This song came out the year Mike and I started dating... it was true then and it's still true today. Happy Anniversary, Baby!

We've been together since way back when

Sometimes I never want to see you again

But I want you to know, after all these years

You're still the one I want whisperin' in my ear

You're still the one I want to talk to in bed

Still the one that turns my head

We're still having fun, and you're still the one

I look at your face every day

But I never saw it till I went away

When winter came, I just wanted to go

Deep in the desert, I longed for the snow

You're still the one that makes me laugh

Still the one that's my better half

We're still having fun and you're still the one

You're still the one that makes me strong

Still the one I want to take along

We're still having fun and you're still the one

Changing, our love is going gold

Even though we grow old, it grows new

You're still the one that I love to touch

Still the one and I can't get enough

We're still having fun and you're still the one

You're still the one who can scratch my itch

Still the one and I wouldn't switch

We're still having fun and you're still the one

You're still the one that makes me shout

Still the one that I dream about

We're still having fun and you're still the one

(Orleans)

San Diego Zoo

Almost for as long as I can remember, I had wanted to go to the San Diego Zoo. Seeing Joan Embry on the Johnny Carson show back in the early 70's made me want to visit the zoo where all these amazing animals were kept! I never thought I'd get the chance to visit the zoo until we moved to California in December 2008. Within a month of being here, we did go visit the zoo and it was all that I thought it would be! To make my dream come true was absolutely amazing, so you know that a second visit to the zoo was another dream come true.

We arrived about an hour after the zoo opened and spent the day walking around the zoo. The difference between this trip and the first trip was that we did tours on the first trip- guarantee to see many animals that way, but not for long! By walking on this trip, it ensured that we got to spend the time with the animals we weren't able to before. Granted, we didn't get to see as many animals, but then we did see animals you can't see on the tours!

We visited the new Elephant Odyssey exhibit and found it to be wonderfully educational on the evolution of the elephant. Covering wooly mammoths and other prehistoric animals, it was simply amazing. The elephant enclosures are so much bigger than the old exhibit. I realize that this doesn't come anywhere near what an elephant's range would be in the wild, but for those of us that couldn't visit these magnificent animals in their natural habitat, this is the next best thing as the zoo is truly dedicated to enriching the animals lives.

Being the photographic addict that I am, I took loads of photographs. After looking at all my photos, I was surprised to find that one of my favorite photos was a photograph of a rattlesnake! Not your typically cuddly animal, that's for sure! I think the beauty of the scales along with the deadliness in the eyes was what grabbed me in this photo. It may not be so apparent in this small version of the photo, but you should see it at 100% of it's size!

I've added many of my photos to my homepage under "Discovering California". It's a page I've made in order to show you what we've discovered as we spend our time in California. It is truly turning out to be the adventure we wanted it to be. If you'd like to see more of my zoo photographs, you can visit my website at www.snghere.com/sandiegozoo5-24-09.html.

Chewgummullins

For many years as my siblings and I were growing up, my Mom would take our laundry to the laundry mat so she could get it all done at once. She used to take one or two of us kids with her to help fold the clothes once they were dry. It was probably the most boring couple of hours that we, as children, had to endure- waiting for the clothes to wash and dry, but it was something that we had to do. Some of us looked forward to it, some of us didn't. I don't think I ever minded much because I would get to see Chewgummullins. He was the man that kept the laundry mat clean. His name was Clyde Mullins. He used to live next door to us when I was very little.

To me, he was always old, but looking back now, I will always remember him wearing those baggy blue work pants, a plaid shirt and a light weight jacket. His glasses were thick and had black frames with gold wire around the lenses. His hair was thinning and he wore a hat, always, when he was outdoors. Slight of built, he walked everywhere and he walked with an old man's shuffle. By my teenage years, his wife had been dead for quite some time.

For years, whenever I saw him- or my Mom for that matter, he would launch into what had to be his favorite story. It never failed to embarrass me to no end to have him launch into this story as I was the topic of the story. It goes back to when we lived next door to him and his wife on Cedar Lane- I was about three years old.

The story went like this:

Whenever Mr. Mullins would work in his garden in his backyard, I would follow him around and "help" him with his chores. My payment for "helping" him was a stick of Juicy Fruit gum. It wasn't long before I was following him around everytime he came outside. Mr. Mullins said I would follow him around and say, "chewgummullins, chewgummullins". He had no idea of what this little three year old girl was saying, so he would say, "Yes, Sharon, yes, yes", pat my head and go on about his business in the yard.

And I would continue to follow him, still talking to him.

Mr. Mullins said that this went on for days and days until one day, it came out clear as day: "Chewing gum, Mullins". And then he knew what I wanted! He picked me up and gave me a stick of Juicy Fruit gum from his jacket pocket.

After that, whenever I saw Mr. Mullins, he always gave me a pack of Juicy Fruit gum from his jacket pocket after telling me that story, or he would give me a quarter and tell me to go to the store and get me a pack of Juicy Fruit. Then he would give me a hug.

"Chewgummullins" has been dead for years and it's been years since I've thought about him. But now that I'm thinking and writing about him, I have tears trickling down my cheeks. I miss you, Chewgummullins and thank you for being so sweet to me.

Earliest Memory

Have you ever tried to think back to your earliest memory? The other day I was sitting on the back porch reading and found myself sitting there daydreaming rather than reading. I have no idea of what triggered it, but suddenly I was thinking about the house we lived in when I was born and I recalled a memory I haven't thought of in years, althought I do recall thinking of this previously.

To look at the house today, it is a very small house, but from the eyes of a three year old (or younger, we moved when I was three) the house was rather large. The steps outback of the house were only four steps high, but in my childs mind's eye, they seemed ever so much more steeper! The backyard spread out before, running downhill to the Kielly's fence line.

Anyway, back to the memory... It was a summer day and the sun was hot with no shade as I sat on the top step and I'm holding a square, plastic turquoise jar. I'm not sure what the jar was or why we even had it, but for some reason, I believe it at one time held penny suckers; because I can remember taking the lid off the plastic jar and smelling the sticky, sweet scent of those penny suckers.

So sitting there in the sun with a pretty turquoise blue jar and smelling the inside of the jar... goofy, but it's what I remember.

The Old Country Road

While unpacking a box today, I found an old book that my great grandmother gave to my great grandfather for Christmas back in 1896. In this book, "Picturesque Worcester", is this poem. It looks like it was originally published in Ladies Home Journal, but no author was listed. I truly liked it.

The Old Country Road

Where did it come from, and where did it go?
That was the question that puzzled us so.
As we waded the dust of the highway that flowed
By the farm, like a river- the old country road.

We stood with our hair sticking up thro' the crown
Of our hats, as the people went up and went down,
And we wished in our hearts, as our eyes fairly glowed
We could find where it came from- the old country road.

We remember the peddler who came with his pack
Adown the old highway, and never came back;
And we wondered what things he had seen as he strode
From some fabulous place up the old country road.

We remember the stage driver's look of delight,
And the crack of his whip as he whirled into sight,
And we thought we could read in each glance he bestowed
A tale of strange life up the old country road.

The mowers came by like a ship in full sail,
With a rudder behind, in the shape of a pail-
With a rollicking crew, and a cow that was towed
With a rope on her horns, down the old country road.

And the gypsies- how well we remember the week
They camped by the old covered bridge, on the creek-
How the neighbors quit work, and the crops were unhoed,
Till the wagons drove off down the old country road.

Oh, the top of the hill was the rim of the world,
And the dust of the summer that over it curled
Was the curtain that hid from our sight the abode
Of the fairies that lived up the old country road.

The old country road! I can see it still flow
Down the hill of my dreams, as it did long ago,
And I wish even now I could lay off my load,
And rest by the side of that old country road.

Flyboy and Married One

Married One and Flyboy as little kids.

Flyboy

Married One

Our youngest son, Flyboy, is in college in Tennessee. Flyboy, on occassion, has come up with some really funny stuff. He has given me too many laughs to count and makes us, as parents, very proud. I miss him.

Flyboy finished up with his sophmore year of classes and is now getting ready for a summer flight lab at his school. He is going to be working on his CFII (Certificated Flight Instructor- Instrument). He is also signed up for summer school English, but that doesn't start up until July. I don't think he'll be coming out to California this summer, so we'll have to go visit him there in Tennessee.

Our oldest son, Married One, is living in Texas. He and his wife, Daughter In Law (DIL), are in the process of getting a new place to live. They are looking at renting a mobile home. Mobile homes have come a long way in 30 years. Hubby and I lived in one when we first got married- it was in the middle of a corn field! The one that they are looking at is in the middle of a mobile home trailer park! Anyway, Married One and DIL are staying with friends until they can find a place of their own. I hope this works out for them! They are both working hard to make their lives work for them. They are both making us proud. I miss both of them.

There are six years between Married One and Flyboy. Not that we planned it that way, but just the way it happened. It really didn't seem like six years had already gone by when Flyboy was born. We were busy with life, living and getting by! Looking back now, I'm glad they were six years apart- but for most of their lives, all they had in common were their parents! They had their own friends, their own interests and their own time with their parents.

We are working on getting Married One and DIL to fly up to TN for the 4th of July family reunion that is in the works. Married One hasn't been there in several years and DIL hasn't met any of the family yet. This would be a great time to do it! It looks like it will work in both of them getting the time off of work, so they'll be able to spend a long weekend with us in Tennessee! That will be fun.

Adventures in California

When we decided to leave Texas after almost 28 years, it was a very hard choice to make. We would be leaving behind our oldest son, who had just gotten married a couple of months before we left; great friends; an incredible place to live; and wonderful places to visit and frequent. The decision to move was based on several things and one of the things that helped us to decide was to treat this move as "an adventure". A grand and fun adventure! An exploration of places we've never seen! The Pacific Ocean, the beaches, the mountains, the desserts! Well, it hasn't disappointed me yet on the "adventure" part!


Since we've been in California, we've gone whale watching; driven up and down Pacific Coast Highway from San Clemente to Long Beach; we experienced our first earthquake; we've been to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park (both of which have been on my bucket list for years) and amazing to finally see; we've spent time poking around our new town; watched a fire come up over the mountains in front of our house (didn't know it at the time, but it was a controlled burn); and have taken some really nice drives around Orange and Riverside Counties. It has been real nice learning the area and having all these little adventures!


OK, so there have been a couple of adventures I could have done without... like the time a lady bumped into my brand new car at a red light (little scratch/no damage); like almost getting a ticket in a national forest because we didn't have the sticker we needed to stop and get out of the car (talked my way out of it since we still have our Texas plates on the car and I acted like the biggest idiot!); like having to drive thru rush hour traffic after a doctor appointment (nothing I could do about that one); and like last week when I got a court summons in Los Angeles County because someone is suing us (OK, insert panic attack here)!

Got your attention there, didn't I?! Yeah, suing us... so get comfortable and I'll tell you what happened last week.


I'm sitting at the computer desk and I'm enjoying cruising the internet and watching WildEarth on the computer. The front and back doors are open, welcoming the cool breeze thru the house as it's almost 85 degrees outside.


All of the sudden, I hear someone saying, "Hello? Hello!" So I get up from my desk and go to the front door. There is an older, middle-aged woman standing just outside our front gate (we have a courtyard out front of our house) and she asked if I was Sharon G. I stated that I was and then she asked, "Is your husband, Mike G.?". I told her that he was. Then she said that she had some paperwork for us. Idiot me, I go out to the gate to see what she has and she passed thru the gate a couple of reams of paper at me. So I took it. She said, "You've just been served and you need to report to court in 30 days in Los Angeles County Superior Court".


Insert really stupid look here. It took me several (and I do mean several) moments to say anything coherent and what pops out of my mouth??


"Huh?"


She told me again that I was being served a summons for LA County Superior Court. I stared at her what for seemed to be several minutes. Again, it took me several moments to get anything out of my mouth, but this time it was,


"For WHAT!?"


She told me (again) that we were being sued and that it was all in the paperwork. I looked down at the armful of paper that I had in my arms and just knew it would take me weeks to read all the legal mumbo jumbo, but I did happen to catch the name of the plaintiff on the front page of the paperwork- I didn't know the name and couldn't even pronounce it! I looked at the lady and told her, "We just moved here from Texas. I don't know these people or have any idea of why they would be suing us."


She said, "Call the attoney on the front for more details then."


So I brought the paperwork in the house, my heart is pounding a mile a minute and I'm freaking out wondering what we had done in 3 months to have someone we didn't know sue us! So I put the paperwork down on my computer desk, sat down before I fell down and with shaking hands, I started working my way thru the paperwork. I wanted to call Mike at work, but I knew he'd be asking me questions I didn't have the answers to, so I wanted to read it a bit before I called him so I would know the answers to the questions he'd be asking... Didja get that?!


So in the next ten minutes or so, I found out the following. Not only were we being sued, but about 100 other people, banks, investment companies and trusts were being sued. That made me feel somewhat better. Then I read what we were being sued for: First Admended Complaint- Judicial Foreclosure, Negligence and Fraud.


"What?"


Slowing down now, I started back at the beginning and started reading with a bit more attention. After reading down to the bottom of the page, I realized what I missed before- and what the law firm had also apparently missed... It wasn't Mike and Sharon G.... it was Michael W. and Sharon J. G. (same last name)!!!! Whew! Not us! Now that I could breathe again, now it was funny and now I could call Mike and tell him about it! What a rush!


I did run out to see if I could find the lady that delivered the summons, but she was long gone by then. So instead, I called the attorneys office listed on the front of the summons and told the receptionist/clerk that we were NOT the persons mentioned in the law suit although we shared the same first and last names... just not the same initials! The receptionist told me to toss the paperwork in the garbage. She then took my name and phone number "just in case the attorney would like to reach you." Yeah, right... I wasn't about to toss this out until I was SURE that we weren't being sued!


So that was that... or so I thought. Fast forward to the day after Mother's Day. I walk out to the mailbox just like I do six times a week. I don't expect a lot of mail here other than bills and the odd letter or card my sister will send. So this particular Monday, I open the mailbox and find a USPS Priority Mail envelope from same said attorney that is representing the plaintiff that is suing everyone and their brother! Surely this can't be another summons coming via the US Postal Service! Oh, how wrong you are! It was another summons! And another ream of paper!


Holy Bat crap!


So I go into the house and once again call the attorneys office and tell the receptionist/clerk that we are NOT the Mike and Sharon G. being sued in this lawsuit. This time she tells me, "This is normal procedure to send out (via USPS) a second summons after the first one is issued in person. Use the paper as a scratch pad." I now have three reams of paper from this law firm to use as scratch pads!


Some adventures are just better than others!