Speakin' of the Devil

Yesterday I was visiting with an elderly gentleman who LOVES to talk. It takes me 25 minutes to just get out of his house - and that's after I'm standing up, with my hand on the door knob all ready to leave. He always comes up with one more thing to say so I can't leave - which really is sad and sweet at the same time.

But last night it was FUNNY. Because he said to me, "I've figured out the problem with the Mormon Church."

"Oh you have?" said I. "What would that be?"

And he said, "Well, they've been having so many problems, you know, in California, because of that Preparation H."

I didn't hear much of anything else he said.

Stuff like that makes me So Happy.

Sneakin' Around With You

A year ago today my friend Colleen made her return appearance in Heaven.

I'm sure that she did not sneak in but that her arrival was
greatly anticipated.
Her FUNeral was like 3 hours long.

These were some of the flowers Maria and I got for the FUNeral.
We knew she'd love flowers coming out of a pumpkin.
Then we found that box that actually SAID Colleen.
It was a sign.
So today I just want to use my Colleen language and record all the fun things we used to do and say. Maria and my mom will probably understand most of it - well some anyway - the rest of you can think about wonderful inside jokes that make you smile when only the two of you understand.


Colleen memories:
Harold andMaude, Arthur Arthur, The Best Little *House in Texas.
"My brother named..."
Phil (actually Rich), Kirk (actually Rick)
Straight Hand Across, Jen
We can be a bus!
The purple afghan.
Our accident on the way to Phyllis's dad's funeral after we had a prayer.
Hot fudge sundaes.
The Turtle.
Cool Pleasures.



(Sorry it's not right way up)
Heart Attack Window Decor.
Katherine Weeks Genes/Jeans. I still have them.
"Pop Up!" (Bonnie Parkin).
Sister Parkin's silver umbrella pin.
Airflow.
Hurricane Ridge.
Our bracelets.
More precious than rubies conference.
Celebrating New Years at Jack in the Box and watching the fireworks from the middle of Hwy 99. I had our celebration paper in my car for years. It may still be in there actually.
The little purple thing. My little purple thing was black.

Valentine's surprise for KW.
The wild thing monkey.
The enormous monkey for KW when she was sick.
KUU (KW) license plates.
The wet wedding dress story.
We don't ask how, we just ask why.
Treasures of Truth book (ok these are a lot of KW memories too but they so go together)
Deleted.
Tar-jet, Tarzhay, Target. Same store, three different locations.
How she'd always brew the coffee in the hotel room.
Matches in her make-up bag.
"Paradise View"
Going to the symphony for Christmas.
Lip plumper.
The secret way to go to the Temple off of 2nd Ave and 99.
The Contra-alto man singing Handel's Messiah. Wow.
Fetus-man.
The money tree.
Putting one rose bud in water in a bowl from the Stake kitchen for the reception.
Women at the Well.
The Seattle Temple at like 4 in the morning.

Sister Lily.
Loving the Seattle Temple all the time.
Just heading right up to the room instead of going to the Chapel. Don't worry - we're on time.
Praying to get to the Temple on time. You pray, I'll drive. We made it.
Salon Excellence.


Krispy Kremes - "That'll be $8.57 for your two donuts and chocolate milk please."
Eating lunch in the triangle.
Sequim.
Carol.
Aletha.
Blu Water and S'mores.
Blu Water with the Croshaws.
Time Outs.
Chinook.
"Day-oh. One day sale one day sale one day sale. Friday only at the Bon Marche." (sung to the tune of Day-o) One day sales- all the time.
When she got stuck right in the path of the naked bike Fremont parade.
"Tendencies."

Clip on the eyebrow.
Life is Real.
The Bug Stik.
Green Cake.
Thai One On.
Moonshadow.
Moon something - in Richmond Beach - so yummy!
ARTERIALS!!!!!!!!

First favorite everything.
First Favorite Fred Meyers.
Buying a table turkey for her brother named John when he was attached to an IV.
I'm not a real person.
Hair colors changing - on all of us.
Going to see Ed and how he'd shrug up his shoulders when he laughed and how much he loved her. And how much they had decorated their apartment on every square inch for whatever holiday it was.
Sneaking Around With You...
Science Project Hair.
Me falling asleep on the couch ... "Sarah Brown is my..."
Ben and Jerry.
Lunches at China First.
Carl and George at Aldercrest.
Bedroom Makeover with Tanni.
Eating at the Space Needle with Mom and Lacey.
Yes - we'll take the bottle of Martinelli's for $15.
Ice chips in the ER for me.
Olpin Enjoyment Weekend.

Zoopas.
Getting invited to dinner and then just going to Zoopas on Sunday.
The Sundance House.
Gregory Ann.
Septmeber Grass.
The Scary Closet.
Kitchen Dick Road.
Dungeness Spit.
Road Trips.
Christmas downtown -- The Figgy Pudding Contest.
Resting at the Bon Marche.
Claustrophobia!
My birthday party on the patio with the turtle tablecloth and the flip flop key chain.
Riding in the back of a police car - no air bags. - no ticket.
Like 45 police behind us on the bridge after the accident.
Documentation!
Non-verbal communication.
Old Navy - those pajama pants. (Hey I'm wearing them right now!)
You Pick- We Pick.
50th Surprise Birthday Party - "Ok everyone come out of the kitchen!"
Tacky Postcards.
El Gaucho - YUM!
Ivan. Marjorie.

Going to Leavenworth to get her the music box to replace the one that she had gotten in Europe and brought home and showed her roommate and the roommate thought she bought it for her so the roommate took it and thanked Colleen for it!
Chocolate Pudding. Or tapioca for KW but you have to eat it our special way.
LuDean.
Dagne.
Jennie Folan and the greeting card placemats.
Let's go to the Outback cuz you always know what you're gonna get.
Dilletante's.
Movies.
Louise.
Marathon Saturdays.
Her first favorite daughter that she never had.


So many more...
And so many more pics too - I'll have to scan them in though because a lot of our documentation happened before digital cameras.

The day Colleen got sick, she was actually moving down to Utah.
I was so excited for her to come and live close to me.
Her heart was the biggest heart I have ever encountered.
At her FUNeral there were so many people to whom Colleen had been their best (and maybe only) friend.
I miss her -- I can't wait to see her again.

Thinking about Colleen and being so grateful for our memories makes me SO Happy.

Express Yourself!

Tonight at dinner, ELJ's sister said something that caught my ear.

Heck-a-molly.

I hadn't heard that before!

So we started discussing expressions. You know -- what we say to not swear.

My most common phrases are: Holy Mackeral. Oh my gosh. Holy Moly. Good Night! Doggone it! Good Gracious. Freak Out! Darn. (I also have been known to say...) Oh my heck. Fetch. Flip. Dagnabit.

Other ones I've heard before that make me laugh: Oh my golly. Gosh ol'Friday. Man o'war. Honest to Peter. Heavens to Betsy (I'm gonna try and incorporate those last two). Heavens to Mergatroid (was one I hadn't heard before tonight but came up in conversation). For the love. Rats. Well, I'll be!

So - how do you not swear? Especially what do your grandparents say to not swear? Those are the best ones!

Funny, creative non-swearing language makes me -- So Happy!

As you wish!!!

Tonight -- what makes me happy right now -- finding a wonderful movie on Channel 7 very unexpectedly!!!

The Princess Bride.

Almost over really -- but no problem. I know what's happened -- I know what will happen.

And I stumbled on in time for the old lady to say, "Boo! Boo! So bow to her if you want. Bow to her, bow down. Bow to the Queen of Putrescence!" (How is that a word?? But it is -- no little red line underneath to tell me to change it!)

Of course, my favorite line is, wait -- I can't just have one.

"I'm not a witch, I'm your wife!"
"No more rhyming and I mean it!" "Anybody want a peanut?"
"Mawage is what bwings us togevva today."
"Inconceivable!" "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
"Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up."
"To the death!" "No! To the pain!" (Yikes!)
"Why won't my arms work?" "You've been almost dead all day!"
"Move? You're alive - if you want I can fly."
"Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while. "

Oh, so many many more. And so many memories.

The best time I had watching this was in Seattle with Maria and co. outside in the Seattle Center. Every time (is that not one word?) they said "The Dread Pirate Roberts" a whole group of people would stand up and wave a pirate flag. Loved it.

And don't you love that Kevin from -- what was that show with Winnie and the tall, skinny kid that should have been called Allen or something... Life goes on? No - I think that was with Corky... Google. Fred Savage - The Wonder Years. Awesome. -- is the little sick kid. So 80's.

And Columbo. So great.

And the floating down out of the window in her wedding dress to the horse moment -- awesome.

What are your favorite lines/memories of The Princess Bride?

Ever had anyone actually say, "As you wish?"

Late-night-great-movie-instead-of-lame-tv-options-when-I-really
-should-be-asleep-anyway make me So Happy!

Hey Everybody it's Family Night!!

Can you sing the rest of the words to that song? (Tamra?)

Well, my friends, I did it. And I am proud of myself. And it was fun! Who knew!

Tonight - I went to my first "single adult FHE" (well - without my group of friends with whom I usually attend FHE (when I can (which is not very often))) and it was GREAT!

I just want to say I believe in FHE - (even if you're a "family of one"(stuff like that makes me laugh - like saying "special interest." especially it makes me laugh when people 1. ask me if I'm married. then 2. ask me how old I am when I say no. then 3. tell me - "oh that's ok. you're young. you have plenty of time." Plenty of time for what? Plenty of time until my eggs dry up or I grow a beard or until I die or what? That is always such a funny conversation to me. Just don't ask people! (back to happiness (apparently parentheses are happy!!!)))

So the point is - yeah for FHE. Not only are you spiritually uplifted with people that you care about - or in my situation, potentially care about, you get to have good treats and a fun activity. Love it! Tonight we ate so much yummy food, learned about Joseph Smith and mingled - which can or cannot be a fun activity. But I made it fun - for me anyway. Hopefully others too! :)

So what I'm saying is that I'm publicly acknowledging that I'm committed to participating more often and giving Heavenly Father a chance to help me out by actually talking to human men.

Being obedient makes me So Happy!

Sometimes you gotta dance

My friend's son was talking to his son the other day and the conversation went something like this.

Dad -- "Next week at this time we'll be on a cruise."

Son (about 8) -- "Excuse me, Dad."

Son goes out of the room for a moment and then returns.

Son -- "Sorry Dad. I just had to go in the other room and jump for joy."

So sweet.

What makes you jump for joy? How long has it been since you've actually done it? I'll think on it too.

Children (happy, witty, sparkling, lovely children and Aidan at any stage) make me So Happy!

And jumping for joy -- well, come one. Just So Happy!

If you want to destroy my sweater... Hold this thread while I walk away!

Not only so happy - but so funny.

Last Thursday my oldest, and soon to be graduating, young woman had her final choir concert of the year -- so good. She even had a solo - her first ever! So proud.


She also stole the stage... when she had a little wardrobe malfunction! It was taking a little while for the choir director to come on stage after a "costume change" and when she did she said, "You just wouldn't believe what happens backstage..." and then who was following? My lovely holding the back of her dress closed! It was wide open about down to her waist and she was trying so hard to hold it together behind her back -- it was not working too well!

So I couldn't resist... and everyone followed suit - we all clapped and laughed and yelled and she was so gracious and graceful -- taking a bow and curtsying and being generally adorable.

THEN! The adorable, quick thinking and modesty-loving young man standing behind her took off his jacket and gave it to her! And the crowd went wild!!!


So for the rest of the performance, in that dress, she wore his jacket. So cute.

(Here's a little 30 second sample of their great concert!)

My modest little Young Women make me, So Happy.