Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Adrienne and Robes!  He would be 55 today.  I love you, Sweet P.

Since when is mailing letters retro?!?

I've lived here 26 years

To quote the Dropkick Murphys, "Oh, Boston you're my home."

Click to read about My Big Adventure.

Boston Brain Tumor Bike Ride

Today was another great ride for PATTON'S ARMY!  Brian and Adrienne rode 40 miles and I was their personal sag wagon.  The weather was amazing and New England is so beautiful and green it's just breathtaking.  We ride in memory of my brother (and Adrienne's dad) Robes and the many others who battle brain tumors and who have died of brain tumors.  Our hope is that someday soon there will be a cure.

Movie review

I saw Million Dollar Arm tonight and loved it but I'm a sucker for a sports movie based on a true story.  And Jon Hamm.

Boston Brain Tumor Bike Ride

[Re-post from May 14, 2010]  

In the Spring of 2005 my sister-in-law Kim called and told me that Adrienne (age 9 at the time) wanted to do the Ride. I figured she meant when Adrienne was 15. Nope; she meant that year.

Adrienne earned the money for her airline ticket (she had a lemonade stand, traded some gift cards for cash, and was a mother's helper) and did some "training" rides through her South Florida neighborhood (though never anything close to 25 miles). I knew the Ride would be tough for her (it's tough for me).

Adrienne and I rode together (while her brother Jamel and the guys did the 50 mile Ride) and I encouraged her along the way. You could have heard me yelling "You're a superstar, you can do it, keep riding!" through the Boston suburbs to a determined little girl (and she was little) who lost her dad to a brain tumor before she was even three and a half years old. At one point, when Adrienne was behind me a bit, I called Kim's cell phone and left a message asking her to say a prayer for Adrienne because I didn't think she was going to make it. I knew Adrienne would be devastated to not finish. Everyone at home would be asking her how the Ride went and she'd have to tell them she didn't do all 25 miles. And, honestly, I knew I couldn't talk her up for the rest of the Ride. About the time she and I were 7 miles from the end my cell phone rang and it was my friend Tadd telling me that he and Brian had finished the 50 mile Ride. I asked Tadd if he'd ride back towards us to encourage Adrienne. He and Brian did just that. I kept riding knowing that if I stopped I might not be able to start up again. Brian and Tadd stayed with Adrienne offering words of encouragement and singing to her. A man driving a support car for the riders passed them and asked her a few times if she wanted to catch a ride to the finish.  She wouldn’t even look at him but stoically nodded her head, "No." She walked her bike for a bit and then got back on a rode some more. When Adrienne rode under the balloon arch at the finish line, this same man stopped his car, walked over to her and gave her a big hug and told her she had accomplished a great thing and that he was proud of her. His support car was the "sweeper" that followed the last person to finish the Ride. [This man knew nothing about Adrienne so I tracked down his email and sent him a letter telling him about her and why she was there doing the Ride that day.]

That was a BIG day for a little girl. To quote Brian, "Adrienne miraculously finished the 25 miles. She gained not only unseen pride from her dad, but she also tapped into an inner strength that is now hers forever." And to quote Tadd, "Your determination to finish on your own, reminded me of the great marathoners of the world collapsing as they finished their own races. The difference between you and them, is not only your age, but in your reasons for riding and your vision for doing so. I imagine really great things will come from you."

I kept saying to her, "YOU DID IT!!! And now you know you can do it again!"

Adrienne will be riding again this year!

If you are interested in making a donation, here a link to Adrienne's fundraising page.

Scallops at six o'clock

Today was the last lunch that I was in charge of this school year.  I overheard the catering manager tell the workers "scallops at six o'clock" as they set the plates on the tables. I got to enjoy the lunch also; the scallops at six o'clock were really good.

Summer Aunt Camp

Adrienne has arrived for the summer!  Her luggage hasn't.  She's holding our summer calendar; she's ready to work and have fun.

True or False?

I work on a college campus.  True or False?!?

Thank you card campaign

I've received many thank you cards for my service as the RSP and have appreciated every thoughtful word.

#thankyoucardcampaign

MOTHER'S DAY RE-POST: May 12, 2013

There are very few photos of the four of us with Nan which makes me love this photo that I found recently.  It was taken on vacation--probably in the California Redwoods.  We are blessed to have a smart, loving mom who enjoyed taking her kids to see and do everything imaginable (Robes used to say "we did everything there was to do in LA twice") -- beaches, museums, sporting events, parades, amusement parks, restaurants, cultural activities, malls, and more!  Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Kimballs with Elizabeth

Can I request a home delivery?

Behold a teenager!

Ian is 13 today!  It was fun to celebrate with him tonight.  He's a good kid, great basketball player, and really funny.  I gave him a big hug for his birthday.

Throwback Thursday - before Mother's Day

Lunch buddy

Last week I met my friends Emily (with 2/3 of her kids) and Janessa (with her 2 kids) for lunch at Clover.  It was a lot of fun and this Phoebe is a character.

Mall rats

My friend Aimee and I met at the mall tonight for Chick-Fil-A and a lot of catching up since she just finished grad school.  She's also pregnant with twins!  I'm really excited for her next double big adventure.

Blogiversary giveaway winner: Heidi

The birthday girl

Emma, in the pink dress, invited me to her mom's birthday party tonight.  It was fun to have dinner and birthday cake with them.  I love the Jacksons.

Calvin's baptism

After his baptism, Calvin shared his testimony.  He's an amazing kid.  My mom always said redheads were extra credit.

Red handled antiques

I didn't end up buying any of these (I have a collection) but I did buy a white Pyrex bowl with red stripes on it.

One afternoon in Maine

The afternoon off.  York Beach, Maine.  Ice cream.  Friends.  Antiquing.  A warm sunny day.

Nothing better.

BLOGIVERSARY GIVEAWAY!

Leave a comment and Monday night at midnight I'll draw a random winner who will receive a package of some of my favorite things.  I've enjoyed reading blogs, making blog friends, and I'm going to keep on blogging!

Throwback Thursday

Van Nuys Third Young Women camping at Leo Carrillo State Park (photo bomb by our orange VW bus).

Raisin filled sugar cookies

I had a few requests for Grandma Pitchforth's raisin filled sugar cookie recipe.

My car isn't the only one at the shop today

#silverbelle
#hopingfornomajorrepairs

Can someone make these shoes with one-inch heels?

I wore shoes like this at my junior high graduation.  I can't wear heels this high and I don't want to spend $139!

Four girls

Yesterday I visited Clara Grace and took her a burp cloth.  She's as beautiful as her three big sisters.

Twenty dollars

My friend Jenny borrowed $20 from me on Monday at the Boston Marathon (she had no cash to buy her son a Boston Strong t-shirt).  I got this $20 bill in the mail today from her in a nice card.

It reminded me of a story my parents used to tell about when they were a young married couple with young kids.  My dad was a school teacher and sometimes when money got tight before pay day my parents would call our friends the Jensens (they lived in LaCrescenta and Joe was also a school teacher) and ask to borrow $20.  Joe and Gloria would mail a $20 bill to my parents and after payday my parents would mail a $20 bill back to them.  And sometimes the Jensens would call to borrow $20 before payday.  I like this nice story about friendship.

Flower Friday

 

Throwback Thursday: On the family farm

Vigo Park, TX

Happy Birthday, Chuck

Waiting for the Boston Marathon

The best end to Patriots Day - Kimballs!