Sunday Assorteds

We were talking about our "senior" memories aka occasional lapses the other night at our Friday-dinner gathering.  

Yes, remarkably, I do still remember the conversation.  

I also distinctly remember the announcement made to my contemporaries---some of whom are much younger but still suffer occasional lapses----that my secret to remembering happens each morning from 7 to 8 and whenever I snap my camera.  

If I can still remember what happened the day before, I document the highlights through photos or stories. 

That way I can check from time to time, lest someone ask me, "Whatcha been up to?"

Occasionally when I'm challenged with that question, very pregnant pauses occur cuz it might have been several hours since I've done my blog posting AND my most recent activities are just not uploading into brain at that moment. 

For the most part, however, this blog does help me remember.  

Maybe that's why I carry a camera almost everywhere I go. 

It's a good practice.  In fact, it made me feel good the other day when Annie noted on her Camino blog that she'd seen so many sights on her walk through Spain that day that she couldn't remember them. 

So, she took a lot of pictures. BTW:  she has already posted for today. 

www.adventuregirlannie.com


With that in mind, here's a quick commercial message to all  others who are memory impaired among us:  get a camera, start a blog!

It's good for what you tend to forget. 

Anywho, yesterday was one of those days where the camera came in handy some times, and some times it didn't.  

Unfortunately, my photo of sister Laurie aboard her horse at a Western dressage clinic got scrapped:  too blurry.

But I still remember attending the clinic for about half an hour before heading off to the Farmers' Market to buy some bread and a birthday gift. 

The camera went with me and did catch a few fun photos.  I've met those dogs with sunglasses before-----at Wal-Mart, I believe.  

Don't ask me why they needed their sunglasses there, but I do believe their owner likes to make a fashion statement with them.

I didn't spend long at the Farmer's Market, which was flourishing aplenty with peeps and lots of good stuff to buy. 

Later, Bill and I figured we had enough time before the birthday party to take a quick hike up to Grouse Falls.  

So, off we went.  Just before the first bridge, we met up with Kristina and Rex Owens who were getting ready to head up to the back roads on their new/used side-by-side 4-wheeler. 

Kris, the daughter of one of my dear friends and classmates, the late Andrea Venishnick, says she's put aside the motorcycle for four wheels. 

There was plenty of activity at the falls with lots of rigs and several campsites filled with families.  When we reached the falls (which we never really saw because of some scary slick spots on the steep trail), we met the Barnes family. 

Turns out Samara has roots that run deep here in the area via the Jim Parsons generations. 

We enjoyed some wonderful conversation while getting acquainted in the beautiful spot just around the rock wall from the waterfall. 

Irish heritage, horses and just some local "Do ya know's?" dominated the visit.  I have a feeling we'll see each other again.

Then, it was on to the birthday party.  Though I left my big camera behind and received a gentle tongue lashing from one of the outlaws, I did snap a few fun shots of the festivities. 

Twas an evening of lots of good conversation with family, "outlaws" and old friends as we celebrated Judy's 70th. 

During the day I also received a photo on the Whats App from the pilgrims in Spain who had landed a celebrity look-alike sighting.  

I won't say who it was.  Readers can check out the photo with Justine's star-struck expression below and decide for themselves who that guy might resemble.

Turns out he's a Brazilian bartender in the bar next to the alberge where the group stayed last night. 

Finally, I'll switch to my memories of 12 years ago today. Twas a hot July 1, 2006, when we first came to this new home of ours on our very own side-by-side UTV which had been dropped off at my sisters' house. 

When we drove it over here and found out the former residents needed a few more hours, we went back home and prepared to start bringing our household goods from the old place. 

At some time during that day, I received a big surprise when my niece Laura drove in the driveway with Willie whom she'd picked up at the airport.

It seemed appropriate for the move that all of our immediate family could participate, along with Laura, Sefo and the gang of triplets. 

We moved a bunch of stuff into the house later that afternoon and the rest is history.

Twelve years in this wonderful place, and we're still in love with it----more than ever. 

Lots of memories ever since then, and I'm a lucky soul cuz I've documented pretty much all the highlights almost every day since then on this blog. 

So, if you ask me what I did on July 1 of any year for the last several, I just need to do a search, and I can provide an answer. 

Technology has been very helpful to this old brain. 

Happy Sunday.