Walking Together

If you want to change your relationship with your partner, in a positive way, start walking together daily. Have a regular appointment and a regular route, so you both know what's expected and you're both accountable for doing it.

Since his surgery, Brad's been a little slower than usual, but now we are back walking the whole two miles almost every day. But it's not just the physical, health-related, reason that makes it important to us. It's the time to connect. Sometimes we talk about little things on our minds, sometimes I tell him stories from books I read, sometimes he vents about work, sometimes we dream big about our future plans. Sometimes we don't talk at all, just looking around and striding side-by-side in harmony.

A chance to have 40 minutes every day, devoted to nothing but us, is a blessing.

Grateful Friday

Today I am deeply grateful for what the doctors, nurses, aides, and medical technology have done for Brad in the last 24 hours. He had a total hip replacement, which worked out fine, in spite of the extensive damage that was in his hip. He will need awhile to recover, but overall, it is very good that it done and he will be able to go back to being strong and active soon.

And a good time was had by all….

Brad’s 50^th ! It’s like your wedding all over again, seeing everybody that you’ve known for the last thirty years. The really hard part is that you simply cannot talk to everyone, the music is loud, people pull your attention from here to there every time you turn around.

When a band is hired for a private party, 300 miles away from their home base, they don’t know what they are walking into. I think they were blown away by the warm reception and enthusiasm of the crowd.

Daniel Castro has never played in Reno before and the blues lovers were astonished by his brilliance. People kept saying, “Where did you find him?” The answer is a small club in Berkeley, because we don’t mind traveling to see someone great. Most of the regulars have seen Chris Cain and knew to expect fireworks. Our other “non blues” friends couldn’t believe the quality of the music. This guy is an international known blues phenomenon. And he was here, at our party.

We counted 120 on the guest list, but friends brought friends, and a few bar regulars slipped in. We were horrified to learn that it had been published in two Reno newspapers, even though it was a private party. I really don’t know how many people were there because of that, but it worked out fine. It was good that they got to have a freebie and we made them happy too.

The Reno Blues Society showed with great excitement and were on the dance floor from the very first note. Because all of our regular blues clubs have closed in Reno, there has not been a true blues show in this town for over a year. I had hundreds of hugs and thank yous from the blues lovers, who were completely loving it.

We had an open tab at the bar, for our friends, with a limit. They poured all night and we never reached the limit. And believe me, everyone was drinking hard. I don’t think the bartender was counting very well, but she dug the tips. The caterer did an exceptional job, bringing way too much wonderful foods. There was a least twice as much as we needed.

Brad has dreamed of this party for the last ten years. He was over the top with excitement. It was truly a night for him to shine.

The Great Wall of China

The China Pictures are on the bedroom wall (finally!). I took these photos in March, had them enlarged in April, framed them in May. Since then, they have lined the floor of the bedroom. I asked Brad to hang them when they were framed. After six months, I asked him again, as nice as I could be, whenever he got a chance, please. On Sunday, he did it.

Now, how could it take that long to do a 30 minute job? If it slips his mind, it will not get done simply because I am a wife who refuses to bitch and nag. If I see them still sitting there after three months, I bite my tongue. Because…he will do anything for me: he cooks me dinner every night, he brings me a glass of wine in the evenings with a little piece of cheese as a treat, he compliments me ten times a day. How can I whine about such a little thing?

And he does the same for me. He doesn’t complain that I am notoriously slow at finishing the office paperwork, or when the house is overly dusty. Or I spend all day reading blogs. Not a word of complaint from him.

Honey, We're the Big Door Prize

Usually I wait until Friday to say why I’m grateful, but it is just too sweet to save….

The view from a quiet country road in the Santa Cruz mountains
Please Stand By
Word play while driving in the car
Rosy glowing sunsets
Promises of a canoe adventure this coming weekend…

....I’ve got big old hearts dancin’ in my eyes.

Brad

This is the guy that makes my life wonderful. If you know him, you know that he lives with the dial turned to "maximum" at all times. It certainly makes life exciting.

PS to Bill and Jan: Thank you for this amazing gift that you share with me.

Sweet Tarts

Last night I was in the bath when I heard Brad making crinkily noises. Was he trying to wrap presents while I was safely out of the way? Suddenly he opened the door and put this small pile of sweet tarts on my bath table. He discovered them in the leftover Halloween stash that I've been ignoring. He just wanted to make me smile; he knows they're my favorites.....he's such a sweet tart!