The Next Great Adventure

Tonight an incredible person went home. I had the privilege of working for him for the past 13 1/2 years. He was intelligent, compassionate, far thinking, and always in for a good joke. He loved God, his family, his neighbors, his employees.

He was always looking at how things might impact other people, looking for ways to make things better. It was a joke around the workplace that when we weren't sure what to do, we'd ask ourselves WWJD (the J was for his name--and it was not to be disrespectful of the other J that letter stands for). Coincidentally, before the heart attack that took his life, my deputy and I had just asked ourselves that very question this afternoon, and we made the choice to follow the spirit of the law rather than the letter--and serve the community ... just as he would have done.

This man took a chance and placed me in a management position, when I'd had very little experience in it. I hope I never disappointed his confidence in me.

My heart goes out to his family at this time of loss. I know he's in a good place (what Dumbledore called the next great adventure), but I feel for their loss. I know what it's like to come home to an empty house ... empty even when there are other people around. The husband who's not there anymore to talk to, plan with, joke with, love. The father who's not at your high school graduation. The grandfather you don't know except in pictures.

Most of all I think we'll miss his presence. His position was a very influential one, and he was always looking ahead, searching for ways to make things better for the employees he managed and for the community he served.

Jim, I'll be sure to make arrangements to have one of your rooms on the other side completely wrapped in foil as you inspired my immediate coworkers to do when I returned from my 25th wedding anniversary cruise. Who knows what you'll have in store for your family, when they finally join you!


Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away to the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect.
Without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you.
For an interval.
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.

All is well.

~~Henry Scott Holland

Book Academy & The Big Read

I'm starting to get excited about attending the Book Academy this Thursday at UVU. I printed out the presenter biographies, and they have a nice variety of people there in the form of authors, publishers, book sellers, and even agents, I think. Brandon Mull (Fablehaven series) is the keynote speaker. It's nice to know that in my relatively low populated state there is such a thriving publication industry.

Last week I attended a presentation at my local library by one of my favorite authors--Brandon Sanderson to launch the library's The Big Read program. Sanderson's a New York Times best seller in his own right, but he's also finishing the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan at the request of Jordan's widow (he died of cancer four years ago). When this was announced I decided I would like to read some of Brandon's work to see how I liked it. Love it! I'm in the process of reading his most recent work The Way of Kings and look forward to the next to last book in WoT which is coming out in November--Towers of Midnight.

New Deathly Hallows Part 1 Trailer

All I can say is SQUEEEEEE!

November 2nd can't come soon enough!

Click here to view new trailer.

Aging with Style

A strange incident happened on Friday night. My hubby and I had been at a church function (talent show) and were returning the building key to the responsible party. No one was home at the time, so hubby was getting back into the car. A neighbor of the key custodian was walking down the middle of the street.

This old man was obviously intoxicated and asked us if we had any cigarettes. Neither of us smoke, so we weren't able to help him. I was driving, and the old man was on my side of the car. When hubby got out to offer him $5, the old man exclaimed that hubby was older than he was. (Sorry, but this guy was much older than my man--I'm not biased either). The old man couldn't figure out how my hubby was with a much younger woman (I'm not--only 5 years difference, but I'm fighting my advancing gray ...er years, while hubby embraces his).

The man began to tell us about his sad life. He's alone now because his woman took him for everything he was worth--but it was fun while it lasted. He told my husband how lucky he was to have me (obviously he doesn't know me). He actually got choked up when he said it. It was sweet, and I felt bad for him.

However, on a funny note, as we were driving home afterward, my dear, sweet man said to me that the only reason people think I'm attractive is because he's so old.

Ummm .... you can tell I married a real charmer! =D

(It's really okay because he puts his foot in his mouth regularly. We're both good at that.)

Mini Me at the Office

I'm in charge of the committee at church that plans activities, and last year we did a talent show. A dear friend, Arlene, and I did Mini Me in the Morning. She was in front and I was hidden. Her arms provided the feet, and my arms were her arms. I managed to almost feed her bread and jam for breakfast (a lot got all over her face) and to put lipstick on her.

Well, tonight we held out second annual event. Arlene insisted that it was only fair that we do another skit--this time in reverse. We called it Mini Me at the Office also known as Arlene's Revenge. Here is the video.



Adam participated and played a song of his own composition. He recorded the various parts and then accompanied the song on his guitar. He's amazing.

Romance Movies

I've been on a kick lately of wanting to watch romance movies. I'm all for a good adventure/ action story, so my hubby has no problem getting me to those films. For some reason I just haven't been able to get my fill of the romance genre. I've watched all the favorites I own ... While You Were Sleeping, Overboard (one of my favorites), Runaway Bride, The Princess Bride, Notting Hill (love this one too), BBC/A&E Pride & Prejudice (Colin Firth will always be the ultimate Mr. Darcy), Sense & Sensibility, You've Got Mail, Ever After (love!), Ghost, Sleepless in Seattle, Sabrina, The Holiday, When in Rome, and even Baby Boom to name a few.

Finally I went to my coworkers and asked for some suggestions for films I haven't seen. Some of the suggested films are Leap Year, My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding (no, I haven't seen it), Raising Helen and the two listed below.

The first one I watched (thanks Bobbie) was Maid in Manhattan. It was a cute little film. I'd never seen it and didn't even realize Ralph Fiennes was the love interest. It's a dang good thing Voldemort doesn't have a nose (and tends to remind me a lot of Uncle Fester from the Addams Family) otherwise I'd have had a hard time buying him as romantic.

Another suggestion was for 50 First Dates. Too bad I don't enjoy Adam Sandler's humor. It just falls flat for me. I'm still pretty early in the movie, but I'm not sure I want to watch anymore.
ETA: I put it on again while I was getting dressed, and it got better. I just wish Sandler wasn't such a mixed bag for me. He can be quite endearing and then other times I want to smack him silly.

However, I was also loaned How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. I loved Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in Fools Gold, so I'm hopeful about this one.

What I'm waiting to come out on DVD is Letters to Juliet, which I loved. For me the most compelling story wasn't that of Sophie and Charlie (cute as they both are) but his grandmother Claire's search for her Lorenzo. Of course I'm old now and can relate to them much better (even though I'm not as old as they are).

I was particularly drawn to the real life romance of the actors Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero. She played the role of Guinevere, and he was Lancelot in the the film Camelot. They became involved in real life and had a son together, though they split up not long after his birth. They always stayed in touch though and about five years ago they married.

Grandson and His Cousin

This made me smile.

Davey and his cousin.