S.L. Viehl's Blog, page 36
December 21, 2015
Recycled Gift Wrap 1
This week I'll show you how to make your own gift wrap by recycling some old paper, sacks, and shopping bags, and using a few ordinary things you probably have around the house:
We'll start with the big sheets of paper on the bottom, which is old, wrinkled newsprint that a store employee wrapped around some glass jars I bought. Usually people throw this away, but it's actually great paper to recycle as gift wrap.
For this you will liquid food coloring, water, and (optional) an old clean sponge, and a small plastic cup. First, spread out some old newspaper to protect your work area. Since we'll be using food coloring to dye the paper, you may also want to put down some plastic or protective sheeting under the newspaper to prevent the colors from bleeding through the paper and staining your surface (I used the old metal table on our porch as my work surface, as it can't be stained.)
Wet your paper (which will immediately remove all wrinkles and creases from it) and spread it out on the newspaper:
Dribble some drops of food coloring directly onto the wet paper:
Add some dribbles of another color:
As you work the colors are going to spread like watercolor paint. Now add a third color. If you want more control over where the color goes on the paper, apply with a sponge, as I did here with the blue:
Also, if you'd like to add a subtle pattern of circles, apply the color by dipping the rim or bottom of a small plastic cup into your food coloring, as I did here on another sheet with the red:
Which turns out like this:
Let your paper dry for about an hour, and it will be ready to use:
Some other tips:
If you don't want to get food coloring stains on your fingers, wear plastic gloves as you work.
Carefully lift and tip the wet paper back and forth to help the colors spread.
For lighter colors, dilute your food coloring with a little water.
We'll start with the big sheets of paper on the bottom, which is old, wrinkled newsprint that a store employee wrapped around some glass jars I bought. Usually people throw this away, but it's actually great paper to recycle as gift wrap.
For this you will liquid food coloring, water, and (optional) an old clean sponge, and a small plastic cup. First, spread out some old newspaper to protect your work area. Since we'll be using food coloring to dye the paper, you may also want to put down some plastic or protective sheeting under the newspaper to prevent the colors from bleeding through the paper and staining your surface (I used the old metal table on our porch as my work surface, as it can't be stained.)
Wet your paper (which will immediately remove all wrinkles and creases from it) and spread it out on the newspaper:
Dribble some drops of food coloring directly onto the wet paper:
Add some dribbles of another color:
As you work the colors are going to spread like watercolor paint. Now add a third color. If you want more control over where the color goes on the paper, apply with a sponge, as I did here with the blue:
Also, if you'd like to add a subtle pattern of circles, apply the color by dipping the rim or bottom of a small plastic cup into your food coloring, as I did here on another sheet with the red:
Which turns out like this:
Let your paper dry for about an hour, and it will be ready to use:
Some other tips:
If you don't want to get food coloring stains on your fingers, wear plastic gloves as you work.
Carefully lift and tip the wet paper back and forth to help the colors spread.
For lighter colors, dilute your food coloring with a little water.
December 20, 2015
Just Write
Today I'm off to write something new and post it online before midnight. Everyone inclined to do the same is invited to join me.
For more details on Just Write, click here to go to the original post.
Image credit: My kid. :)
December 19, 2015
Christmas at the Shelter
I paid a holiday visit to the no-kill cat shelter to make a donation and visit with the kitties, and here are some who kindly posed for me and my new camera (and if for some reason the slideshow doesn't show up on the blog, click here to go directly to it at my Photobucket account):
Donating to animal shelters and other rescue organizations is one of the nicest things you can do during this time of year. Cash is always welcome and much appreciated. Shelters also need food, cleaning supplies and other practical items to help care for their furry ones. Call your local shelter or check their web site to find out what they need most.
If you're ready to add a new member to the family, adopting a pet from a shelter is a marvelous way to provide a homeless animal with the home and love they need. You can also stop in at your shelter to spend some time with the residents if they allow visitors, or to volunteer as a helper. It really only takes a little time and care to do your part, and what you get back in return is absolutely priceless.
Donating to animal shelters and other rescue organizations is one of the nicest things you can do during this time of year. Cash is always welcome and much appreciated. Shelters also need food, cleaning supplies and other practical items to help care for their furry ones. Call your local shelter or check their web site to find out what they need most.
If you're ready to add a new member to the family, adopting a pet from a shelter is a marvelous way to provide a homeless animal with the home and love they need. You can also stop in at your shelter to spend some time with the residents if they allow visitors, or to volunteer as a helper. It really only takes a little time and care to do your part, and what you get back in return is absolutely priceless.
December 18, 2015
Anything
I'm still off writing and dealing, but here's a thoughtful street interview video that asks: If you could have anything in the world for Christmas, without limitation, what would you choose? Watch for some surprising answers (with narration and background music, for those of you at work):
What Do You Want for Christmas? | A Short Film from The Right Brothers on Vimeo.
December 16, 2015
Off to Finish
I have a couple of work and personal projects to finish up before the holidays arrive, so I'm unplugging to attend to them. While I'm away, here are some holiday links for you: I always visit NORAD's Santa Tracker site each December, which has updated and looks very cool this year. If you go to Santa's village and visit the arcade, you can play a new game every day until Christmas.
Snowday's holiday classic Create Your Own Snowflake site is also back for another holiday season of making virtual snowflakes. I've already made my first one, and no doubt I will be making more.
Every year I make a point to revisit Jacquie Lawson's animated e-card The Snow Dog because it just makes me happy.
See you on Sunday for Just Write.
December 15, 2015
Featured
According to my dashboard thing Blogger now has a featured post widget you can add to your blog:
"As bloggers, we all know how important it is to post frequently in order to encourage readers to come back. Of course, the more you post, the more quickly your posts slip down into the archives, making it harder for your readers to discover everything you’ve posted that they might be interested in.
To help make it easier to showcase the posts you want your readers to see, we’ve created a new gadget called Featured Post. With Featured Post, you can choose posts you’ve shared on your blog and highlight them wherever you’d like."
With eleven years of almost daily posts I think I'd probably spend the rest of my days digging through the archives to find everything I'd like visitors to read, and I'm not crazy about tweaking the sidebar every week for new stuff, so I won't be using it. But if you don't have to deal with a lot of content on your blog, this might come in handy (especially if you're an author on Blogger promoting a new release or holding a giveaway.)
"As bloggers, we all know how important it is to post frequently in order to encourage readers to come back. Of course, the more you post, the more quickly your posts slip down into the archives, making it harder for your readers to discover everything you’ve posted that they might be interested in.
To help make it easier to showcase the posts you want your readers to see, we’ve created a new gadget called Featured Post. With Featured Post, you can choose posts you’ve shared on your blog and highlight them wherever you’d like."
With eleven years of almost daily posts I think I'd probably spend the rest of my days digging through the archives to find everything I'd like visitors to read, and I'm not crazy about tweaking the sidebar every week for new stuff, so I won't be using it. But if you don't have to deal with a lot of content on your blog, this might come in handy (especially if you're an author on Blogger promoting a new release or holding a giveaway.)
December 14, 2015
Quick Gift Ten
Ten Things You Can Make or Put Together as Last-Minute Holiday Gifts
Audio Car Package: Choose an audio book for your recipient, and package with a travel mug and some envelopes of their favorite hot beverage mix for a nice treat they can use the next time they head out on the road. One of my favorite all-time audio books is Powers That Be by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, marrated by Star Trek's own Marina Sirtis.
Book Stack: Buy your favorite novel series or some books in the same genre, stack, and tie a ribbon around them like they're a box. Use a bookmark as the gift tag. See some other fun ways to gift-wrap books over at Book Riot here.
Homemade Bread: One of our neighbors always gives us a loaf of her homemade bread as a holiday gift, and it's one of my favorite treats every year. Make your favorite bread, wrap in a pretty tea towel and place in an inexpensive bread basket. If they have kids, add some jars of peanut butter and jelly. Don't want to make a whole loaf of bread? Go for a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls, buttermilk biscuits, or garlic knots.
First Aid for Kisses Kit: Glue a piece of white cardstock to the top of a small empty tin. Write "First Aid Kit for" at the top of the cardstock and draw a lips puckered for a kiss in red marker below it. Fill the tin with a stick of lip balm, disposable mini toothbrushes and breath mints.
Framed Pic or Poem: Print out a nostalgic photo, or handwrite or print out a favorite poem, place in a pretty frame.
Pre-Addressed Book: Buy an inexpensive address book and fill it with the names, updated addresses and phone numbers of mutual family and friends. I honestly wish someone would do this for me.
Quick Fabric Placemats: For each placemat cut two 16" X 8" rectangles from matching or contrasting fabrics, pin together right sides facing out, sew 1/2" around the entire border, trim the edges with pinking sheers. You can do the same thing to make coasters; just downsize your fabrics to two 4" or 5" squares.
Sugar Scrub: Whip up a homemade batch of sugar scrub (click here for 21 recipes) and place in a mason jar. Write the ingredients on a notecard and tie with a piece of ribbon around the lid.
Tea Lover's Stocking: Fill an inexpensive stocking with individually-wrapped tea bags, a pretty mug, a jar of honey, a small package of cookies, etc. You can also make individually-wrapped tea bags into a wreath by following the directions over at Kojo-designs.com here.
Writer's Block: To making an uplifting paperweight, use an indelible marker to write short, encouraging phrases on a 4" square wooden block paperweight. For a more elaborate version, purchase a photo-frame block (like this one from Pier One) and insert inspiring quotes and photos in the frames.
Audio Car Package: Choose an audio book for your recipient, and package with a travel mug and some envelopes of their favorite hot beverage mix for a nice treat they can use the next time they head out on the road. One of my favorite all-time audio books is Powers That Be by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, marrated by Star Trek's own Marina Sirtis.
Book Stack: Buy your favorite novel series or some books in the same genre, stack, and tie a ribbon around them like they're a box. Use a bookmark as the gift tag. See some other fun ways to gift-wrap books over at Book Riot here.
Homemade Bread: One of our neighbors always gives us a loaf of her homemade bread as a holiday gift, and it's one of my favorite treats every year. Make your favorite bread, wrap in a pretty tea towel and place in an inexpensive bread basket. If they have kids, add some jars of peanut butter and jelly. Don't want to make a whole loaf of bread? Go for a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls, buttermilk biscuits, or garlic knots.
First Aid for Kisses Kit: Glue a piece of white cardstock to the top of a small empty tin. Write "First Aid Kit for" at the top of the cardstock and draw a lips puckered for a kiss in red marker below it. Fill the tin with a stick of lip balm, disposable mini toothbrushes and breath mints.
Framed Pic or Poem: Print out a nostalgic photo, or handwrite or print out a favorite poem, place in a pretty frame.
Pre-Addressed Book: Buy an inexpensive address book and fill it with the names, updated addresses and phone numbers of mutual family and friends. I honestly wish someone would do this for me.
Quick Fabric Placemats: For each placemat cut two 16" X 8" rectangles from matching or contrasting fabrics, pin together right sides facing out, sew 1/2" around the entire border, trim the edges with pinking sheers. You can do the same thing to make coasters; just downsize your fabrics to two 4" or 5" squares.
Sugar Scrub: Whip up a homemade batch of sugar scrub (click here for 21 recipes) and place in a mason jar. Write the ingredients on a notecard and tie with a piece of ribbon around the lid.
Tea Lover's Stocking: Fill an inexpensive stocking with individually-wrapped tea bags, a pretty mug, a jar of honey, a small package of cookies, etc. You can also make individually-wrapped tea bags into a wreath by following the directions over at Kojo-designs.com here.
Writer's Block: To making an uplifting paperweight, use an indelible marker to write short, encouraging phrases on a 4" square wooden block paperweight. For a more elaborate version, purchase a photo-frame block (like this one from Pier One) and insert inspiring quotes and photos in the frames.
December 13, 2015
Just Write
Today I'm off to write something new and post it online before midnight. Everyone inclined to do the same is invited to join me.
My link: More on Twenty-One (click on the title to go to the .pdf), with new material beginning on page 24.
For more details on Just Write, click here to go to the original post.
Image credit: My kid. :)
December 12, 2015
100
Here's something you can do for someone you love during the holidays, and all it costs is some time, typing, old photos and a bit of memory-surfing. This is for my guy:
The 100 Reasons Why I Love You
1. All the beaches we've shared and all the sunsets we've watched.
2. Surprising me at Christmas with the Kitchen Aid I was always too cheap to buy. God, I love that thing.
3. Never walking out on me in labor and delivery, even when the nurses thought you were going to faint and told you to.
4. Buying our rather expensive bed because you hated seeing me hobble around in the morning.
5. Cutting the kids' umbilical cords when you were so obviously terrified you'd do it wrong.
6. The way you smiled at me the very first time we met.
7. Driving two thousand miles so our daughter could to see snow for the first time on her eighteenth birthday.
8. How nice you were to Mary Balogh at that writer's conference when we were drafted as her chauffeurs because the other people had bailed on her; this while you had absolutely no idea who Mary Balogh was.
9. Not dying on me from your cancer, or that fall that really should have broken your back and neck and paralyzed you for life. Miracle should be your middle name, actually.
10. Always giving me birthday and holiday cards that have the words "I love you" on them somewhere.
11. Our first date on Hollywood Beach, and later, when it rained.
12. What you wrote on those 517 tiny slips of paper you left scattered them all around the house for me to find.
13. Fixing our neighbor's lawn mower and edger to help save her the repair costs.
14. The doors you always hold open for me and any other female or elderly person within ten feet of us.
15. Warming up bath water on the gas grill for me and the kids when the hurricanes knocked out our power for 21 days.
16. Being there at every single one of the kids' school events, even when you had to drive from work and show up in your uniform.
17. The baby powder rubdowns and the scalp massages.
18. How you smiled when we were serenaded by mariachis at the Copa.
19. Driving my car without complaint when I know how much you utterly despise driving my car.
20. The way you constantly apologize to me every time you get sick.
21. All those phone calls while we were dating. Thousands, I think.
22. Feeding the neighbor's cows.
23. Filling the feeders during the winter because you feel sorry for the birds.
24. Your aftershave. Still drives me insanely crazy for you.
25. Your amazement and wonder the first time I took you inside St. John's to see the stained glass.
26. How you look whenever you wear blue.
27. Cleaning the bathrooms when you know I'd do it.
28. The undying love of little diners that we share.
29. The color of your eyes.
30. Not minding when the daughter and I drag you into yet another Cuban restaurant.
31. The way you looked at me when I was sitting with Ray in the hospital.
32. Your voice, your hands and your nose. Yes, I love your nose (but I love your hands just a tiny bit more.)
33. How you always make the Chinese lady laugh.
34. The hours you'll spend on the phone talking another guy through a problem at work that isn't your problem.
35. How kind you were to my Dad when he began forgetting things.
36. How kind you are to anyone in trouble.
37. How kind you are, period.
38. Your love of wings, which you've never insisted I share.
39. What you said when my dad died.
40. Your tireless obsessions with my pasta sauce and my German chocolate cake.
41. How you kid around with waitresses, and how well you tip them (okay, I help with that last part a little.)
42. How your voice sounded when you said, "It's a little girl."
43. How bewildered you were when I informed you that the pretty lady in the neighborhood who kept stopping by to talk to you was actually trying to hit on you.
44. Refusing to lose your temper even under circumstances that would have pissed off Buddha.
45. Going with me to see Titanic at the over-priced movie theater because everyone said we should, and (despite really liking the movie) being okay with me crying afterward while I swore I'd never watch it again.
46. Cruising around with me to look at houses just because I like to look at houses.
47. Paying a little more at beach hotels so we always have a view of the ocean.
48. Your expression when you watch the Thunderbirds perform at air shows.
49. How you're always willing to have my mom stay with us when she needs looking after.
50. Not caring that I usually smell like the dogs + hand soap instead of eau de something sexy.
51. Always kissing me good night when we go to bed, and again when you leave in the morning for work. Always.
52. Driving all the way to Cedar Key in my car and not bitching about it or making me take a turn at the wheel (and I offered a couple times, remember?)
53. Spending all that time looking for something to fix the lid on my old sewing box that is basically worthless to everyone but me.
54. Going with me to that quilt museum on the way home from Cedar Key and pretending to be interested when the lady volunteers talked to you.
55. Your obsession with wiping out the crab grass. Patton was not this determined.
56. Asking me to come and see every rainbow you've ever spotted.
57. Not getting mad at me for rescuing Skye.
58. Not getting mad about the daughter's pet rats, or the huge cage, or the smell of rat pee that sometimes gets a bit much.
59. Not getting mad whenever any other human being would simply explode.
60. Waiting for me every time I've had surgery, sometimes for very long hours in very small rooms filled with too many people.
61. Giving me your camera when I broke mine.
62. Buying me another camera when I broke yours.
63. Sharing my intense hatred of mobile phones. You, me, and the Amish, baby.
64. Driving me over to see the spectacular Christmas lights at that guy's house when you were tired and probably just wanted to go home.
65. Every time you say "Let's take a little ride."
66. That weekend at the inn by the lake, when we chanced upon the festival at the winery, and that night we sat out on the dock.
67. Letting me help when things are a bit much now versus hanging onto your pride and doing it yourself.
68. Not retiring when you should so the kids can stay on your medical insurance plan a little longer.
69. Going with me to visit family after Thanksgiving dinner instead of taking the usual food-coma nap on the couch like most other men.
70. Insisting we have a real Christmas tree every year.
71. Allowing me to gradually eliminate virtually every fried food from your diet.
72. Driving up the always-scary mountain roads so we could see the Smokies from the highest possible elevation -- in the dead of winter, no less.
73. Being okay with my love of books and quilts when you don't actually like books or quilts.
74. Being fine with taking coffee from home to work every day in reusable cups to save money and waste (which saves us like a hundred bucks every month, btw.)
75. Supporting me 100% when I went freelance, and neither of us knew if I'd make a dime.
76. Not minding my wrinkles, my white hair or my new shoulder problems (because if you do, you've never shown it.)
77. Never once criticizing me for gaining weight at any time I have over the last 24 years.
78. Doing most of the grunt work when we had a booth at MegaCon.
79. Calling me honey or sweetie instead of my name, which you use to only identify me in conversation with other people.
80. Being the only person who didn't bail on me on the worst days of my life. The only person. All of them.
81. The night of your birthday, 2003.
82. Taking care of me, the kids, and basically everything else that Christmas when I fell down the stairs and sprained my ankle so badly that I couldn't walk.
83. All the Saturdays and Sundays walking around the flea market just so I could get some exercise.
84. Your lifelong determination to prune trees so that they have perfect balance. Bonsai masters probably should worship you.
85. Bathing and brushing out the dogs, with which you have more patience than anyone else.
86. Teasing the daughter about her hipster outfits.
87. Taking us out for hot chocolate and cake in the winter and sitting outside in the cold on the cafe balcony when I know how much you hate being cold.
88. Being okay with my crazy idea to open a bed-and-breakfast even after it (thankfully) passed.
89. The things you say when you talk in your sleep.
90. The nights sitting and talking by the firepit.
91. How much you adore our children. They really have no idea, but I do.
92. Your complete inability to end a phone conversation quickly.
93. Always checking in with me every day you're out of town.
94. Asking me to marry you every day for six months.
95. The years you spent taking care of that miserable abusive bastard who treated you like crap for most of your life, simply because he was your dad and you loved him.
96. Letting me keep and look after a nineteen-year-old cat, although all he mostly does is sleep, puke and miss the litter box.
97. Being the kind of man whom other people admire, like or love. I actually don't know a single person who dislikes you.
98. Having no hobbies because you'd rather spend the time taking care of our home and family.
99. Choosing me as the first woman you asked out after your ex heartlessly dumped you.
100. Sticking with me through better or worse, including thirty-one years of our rollercoaster relationship, my arthritis, my three bouts of cancer and when I started going blind, every single one of my surgeries, the scares, the waiting, menopause, and all the other scary bad times in my life. That's why I don't need a list to know just how much you love me, and how blessed I am to have you as my guy.
The 100 Reasons Why I Love You
1. All the beaches we've shared and all the sunsets we've watched.
2. Surprising me at Christmas with the Kitchen Aid I was always too cheap to buy. God, I love that thing.
3. Never walking out on me in labor and delivery, even when the nurses thought you were going to faint and told you to.4. Buying our rather expensive bed because you hated seeing me hobble around in the morning.
5. Cutting the kids' umbilical cords when you were so obviously terrified you'd do it wrong.
6. The way you smiled at me the very first time we met.
7. Driving two thousand miles so our daughter could to see snow for the first time on her eighteenth birthday.
8. How nice you were to Mary Balogh at that writer's conference when we were drafted as her chauffeurs because the other people had bailed on her; this while you had absolutely no idea who Mary Balogh was.
9. Not dying on me from your cancer, or that fall that really should have broken your back and neck and paralyzed you for life. Miracle should be your middle name, actually.
10. Always giving me birthday and holiday cards that have the words "I love you" on them somewhere.
11. Our first date on Hollywood Beach, and later, when it rained.
12. What you wrote on those 517 tiny slips of paper you left scattered them all around the house for me to find.
13. Fixing our neighbor's lawn mower and edger to help save her the repair costs.
14. The doors you always hold open for me and any other female or elderly person within ten feet of us.
15. Warming up bath water on the gas grill for me and the kids when the hurricanes knocked out our power for 21 days.
16. Being there at every single one of the kids' school events, even when you had to drive from work and show up in your uniform.
17. The baby powder rubdowns and the scalp massages.
18. How you smiled when we were serenaded by mariachis at the Copa.
19. Driving my car without complaint when I know how much you utterly despise driving my car.
20. The way you constantly apologize to me every time you get sick.21. All those phone calls while we were dating. Thousands, I think.
22. Feeding the neighbor's cows.
23. Filling the feeders during the winter because you feel sorry for the birds.
24. Your aftershave. Still drives me insanely crazy for you.
25. Your amazement and wonder the first time I took you inside St. John's to see the stained glass.
26. How you look whenever you wear blue.
27. Cleaning the bathrooms when you know I'd do it.
28. The undying love of little diners that we share.
29. The color of your eyes.
30. Not minding when the daughter and I drag you into yet another Cuban restaurant.
31. The way you looked at me when I was sitting with Ray in the hospital.
32. Your voice, your hands and your nose. Yes, I love your nose (but I love your hands just a tiny bit more.)
33. How you always make the Chinese lady laugh.
34. The hours you'll spend on the phone talking another guy through a problem at work that isn't your problem.35. How kind you were to my Dad when he began forgetting things.
36. How kind you are to anyone in trouble.
37. How kind you are, period.
38. Your love of wings, which you've never insisted I share.
39. What you said when my dad died.
40. Your tireless obsessions with my pasta sauce and my German chocolate cake.
41. How you kid around with waitresses, and how well you tip them (okay, I help with that last part a little.)
42. How your voice sounded when you said, "It's a little girl."
43. How bewildered you were when I informed you that the pretty lady in the neighborhood who kept stopping by to talk to you was actually trying to hit on you.
44. Refusing to lose your temper even under circumstances that would have pissed off Buddha.
45. Going with me to see Titanic at the over-priced movie theater because everyone said we should, and (despite really liking the movie) being okay with me crying afterward while I swore I'd never watch it again.
46. Cruising around with me to look at houses just because I like to look at houses.
47. Paying a little more at beach hotels so we always have a view of the ocean.48. Your expression when you watch the Thunderbirds perform at air shows.
49. How you're always willing to have my mom stay with us when she needs looking after.
50. Not caring that I usually smell like the dogs + hand soap instead of eau de something sexy.
51. Always kissing me good night when we go to bed, and again when you leave in the morning for work. Always.
52. Driving all the way to Cedar Key in my car and not bitching about it or making me take a turn at the wheel (and I offered a couple times, remember?)
53. Spending all that time looking for something to fix the lid on my old sewing box that is basically worthless to everyone but me.
54. Going with me to that quilt museum on the way home from Cedar Key and pretending to be interested when the lady volunteers talked to you.
55. Your obsession with wiping out the crab grass. Patton was not this determined.
56. Asking me to come and see every rainbow you've ever spotted.
57. Not getting mad at me for rescuing Skye.
58. Not getting mad about the daughter's pet rats, or the huge cage, or the smell of rat pee that sometimes gets a bit much.
59. Not getting mad whenever any other human being would simply explode.
60. Waiting for me every time I've had surgery, sometimes for very long hours in very small rooms filled with too many people.
61. Giving me your camera when I broke mine.
62. Buying me another camera when I broke yours.
63. Sharing my intense hatred of mobile phones. You, me, and the Amish, baby.
64. Driving me over to see the spectacular Christmas lights at that guy's house when you were tired and probably just wanted to go home.
65. Every time you say "Let's take a little ride."
66. That weekend at the inn by the lake, when we chanced upon the festival at the winery, and that night we sat out on the dock.
67. Letting me help when things are a bit much now versus hanging onto your pride and doing it yourself.
68. Not retiring when you should so the kids can stay on your medical insurance plan a little longer.69. Going with me to visit family after Thanksgiving dinner instead of taking the usual food-coma nap on the couch like most other men.
70. Insisting we have a real Christmas tree every year.
71. Allowing me to gradually eliminate virtually every fried food from your diet.
72. Driving up the always-scary mountain roads so we could see the Smokies from the highest possible elevation -- in the dead of winter, no less.
73. Being okay with my love of books and quilts when you don't actually like books or quilts.
74. Being fine with taking coffee from home to work every day in reusable cups to save money and waste (which saves us like a hundred bucks every month, btw.)
75. Supporting me 100% when I went freelance, and neither of us knew if I'd make a dime.
76. Not minding my wrinkles, my white hair or my new shoulder problems (because if you do, you've never shown it.)
77. Never once criticizing me for gaining weight at any time I have over the last 24 years.
78. Doing most of the grunt work when we had a booth at MegaCon.
79. Calling me honey or sweetie instead of my name, which you use to only identify me in conversation with other people.
80. Being the only person who didn't bail on me on the worst days of my life. The only person. All of them.
81. The night of your birthday, 2003.
82. Taking care of me, the kids, and basically everything else that Christmas when I fell down the stairs and sprained my ankle so badly that I couldn't walk.
83. All the Saturdays and Sundays walking around the flea market just so I could get some exercise.
84. Your lifelong determination to prune trees so that they have perfect balance. Bonsai masters probably should worship you.
85. Bathing and brushing out the dogs, with which you have more patience than anyone else.
86. Teasing the daughter about her hipster outfits.
87. Taking us out for hot chocolate and cake in the winter and sitting outside in the cold on the cafe balcony when I know how much you hate being cold.
88. Being okay with my crazy idea to open a bed-and-breakfast even after it (thankfully) passed.
89. The things you say when you talk in your sleep.
90. The nights sitting and talking by the firepit.
91. How much you adore our children. They really have no idea, but I do.
92. Your complete inability to end a phone conversation quickly.
93. Always checking in with me every day you're out of town.
94. Asking me to marry you every day for six months.95. The years you spent taking care of that miserable abusive bastard who treated you like crap for most of your life, simply because he was your dad and you loved him.
96. Letting me keep and look after a nineteen-year-old cat, although all he mostly does is sleep, puke and miss the litter box.
97. Being the kind of man whom other people admire, like or love. I actually don't know a single person who dislikes you.
98. Having no hobbies because you'd rather spend the time taking care of our home and family.
99. Choosing me as the first woman you asked out after your ex heartlessly dumped you.
100. Sticking with me through better or worse, including thirty-one years of our rollercoaster relationship, my arthritis, my three bouts of cancer and when I started going blind, every single one of my surgeries, the scares, the waiting, menopause, and all the other scary bad times in my life. That's why I don't need a list to know just how much you love me, and how blessed I am to have you as my guy.
December 11, 2015
Tropical Christmas
This lovely timelapse video gives you a peek at what the holidays are like for folks in L.A. (with background music, for those of you at work):
Beach Cities Christmas from Brian Hawkins on Vimeo.
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