MY FAVORITE PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

Thanks for coming in to look at some of my favorite stuff. Like the rose below, we are all constantly blooming. So are my web pages.

My main focus for my pages is writing, and family, so I thought I'd share some stuff here about some of my favorite people in my family. I love ALL of my family, though, so eventually they will ALL be listed on this page. But, that is a huge task, so it will take awhile.

Here's the current thought...

"I can complain that my rosebush bears thorns, or....I can REJOICE that my thornbush bears roses." (I don't know who said it, but I like it.)

Below you will find my first list of SOME of my favorite people. I have used the letters in their first names to say something about them, but often the amount of letters, or the words I can get from the letters, simply doesn't describe them accurately or completely. Plus, I am trying not to duplicate the same descriptive words under any two people. I don't know how long that will last, but I will keep trying as long as I can find new, yet fitting, words to use. The names are NOT in order of importance, except the top 3...Yahveh my Creator, Yah-shua my Redeemer, and my husband, Alan, my true love for forever and three days.

NOTE: To do this with your name, or someone you love, just consult a Thesaurus. A good project for kids is to have them find a noun, verb, adjective and adverb for each letter of their name. That list (or the same for any word--even the entire alphabet) is great for playing "Mad Libs" type games and for story writing.

A Partial List of PEOPLE I KNOW & LOVE...mostly family on this first list. (Thank the Lord I have FAR TOO MANY special people in my life to list here.)

• First I will list YaHVeH (Hebrew name for God The Creator)...Y=Yah (His root name, as in Hallelu-Yah meaning Praise be to Yah, A=Almighty, H=Holy, V=Victorious, E=Eloheinu (Our God), H=Hero (mine at least)
• Next I list YAH-SHUA HA-MASHIACH (Yah-shua The Messiah, aka Jesus The Christ)...Y=Y'hudah (He's the Lion of this tribe), A=Adonai (Lord), H=Help (ever-present in times of trouble), S=Savior, H=Healer, U=Unique (as in only) Son of God, A=Awesome
• Then there's my husband, ALAN DAVID...A=Able, L=Loving, A=Adorable, N=Nice Guy
• My Mom, CATHERINE ANNE...C=Capable, A=Aware, T=Thankful, H=Hospitable, E=Embracing, R=Refreshing, I=Instinctive, N=Novel, E=Educator
• My Dad, ROGER OLIVER...R=Rigorous, O=Offbeat, G=Generous, E=Enigmatic, R=Revolutionary
• My sister, CANDIECE APRIL...C=Caring, A=Astute, N=Naive, D=Domestic, I=Intense, E=Exact, C=Cautious, E=Effective
• My brother-in-law, STEVEN EUGENE...S=Sensible, T=Tactful, E=Essential, V=Valiant, E=Estimable, N=Notable
• My Grandpa Robertson, ABNER TOY...A=Adept, B=Brainy, N=Nifty, E=Expert, R=Radio Operator (Ham) (RIP 2001)
• My Uncle, DALE ALAN...D=Dutiful, A=Amusing, L=Lovable, E=Earnest
• My Aunt, SHIRLEY IRENE...S=Sassy (in a cute way), H=Humorous, I=Intelligent, R=Reliable, L=Likable, E=Expressionist Y=Yarn Lover (as in crochet)
• My Uncle, JOHN DONAHUE...J=Jesting, O=Observant, H=Hinting, N=New Yorker (RIP 2010)
• My Cousin, CHANCE A...C=Calm, H=Hardy, A=Adaptable, N=Noble, C=Calculating, E=Easy Going
• Now, the young man who came into my life as a nephew, and became my son, my 17-year-old, JAMES CARL...J=Jovial, A=Artistic, M=Maturing, E=Extra-Special, S=Smart Guy (now 28 & a father of 2)
• And another nephew, Steve & Candies son, my 7-year-old nephew, JOSHUA STEVEN...J=Jaunty, O=Onward, S=Super, H=Handful, U=Ultimate, A=Adorable (now 18)
• Then, my 3 other nephews that I raised for nearly 5 years, and who have returned to their natural mother in the summer of 2000 (James' brothers), starting with my 15-year-old nephew, JOHN DAVID...J=Joking, O=Objective, H=Handy, N=Nature Lover (now 27)
• My 13-year-old nephew CHRISTOPHER ALAN...C=Charming, H=Humble, R=Restless, I=Inventive, S=Smiley, T=Terrific, O=Optimistic, P=Precise, H=Happy, E=Excitable, R=Relative (now 24)
• And my 10-year-old nephew, JOSHUA AARON...J=Jolly, O=Outgoing, S=Scrappy, H=Helpful, U=Unafraid, A=Absolute (now 21 and a father of 1)
• SO MANY HERE HAVE BEEN CHANGED BY LIFE OR DEATH & I DIDN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL I CAME BACK TO EDIT. WOW!

Some of my favorite places (to visit, vacation, and even live.)

• LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY...Here you will find some of the most beautiful greenery in the Spring & Summer, plus a very colorful Fall. And, of course, we host the Kentucky Derby, which is the first in the Triple Crown of horse-racing. It's also called the Run For The Roses, like the song of the same name by Dan Fogleburg. Though I haven't been to a live Derby myself, I love the events that surround it. They include (as a partial list), Thunder Over Louisville, which is the largest fireworks display in North America; The Great Steamboat Race, which pits the Belle of Louisville paddle-wheel steamer against the Delta Queen; The Pegasus Parade, which includes floats, giant balloons, and more; and Bedlam on Fourth which has people racing each other in hotel beds on wheels. It's about 2 weeks of fun-filled events that I wish all of my family & friends would eventually make it out to.
• KINGMAN, ARIZONA...You'll note that I did not describe the season of Winter for Louisville. Well, I like my desert Winters better. I like snow...to look at...but I don't like icy roads or temps below zero. But, I still usually end up visiting Kingman in the summer, 'cause that's the best time to see what I like most, and that is my family. Hey, you'd like it there too if you could hear us ladies in the kitchen doing dishes and singing oldies at the same time. Anybody remember Tonight You Belong To Me? Bernadette Peters & Steve Martin sang it in the movie, The Jerk.
• NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK...All I can say is WOW!!! Pictures don't tell the half of the beauty and power of The Falls themselves, and the surrounding area is beatutiful as well. I visited there for the first time this Summer (2000) and really want to go back. We rode in a boat called, Maid Of The Mist, where they took us as close as is safely possible to the base of the falls, and we had to wear raincoats because the mist gets you really wet. We also took a tour called, Cave Of The Winds, where we were able to walk up on what they called the Hurricane Deck, which takes you very near the smallest of the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls. The wind created by these falls is really powerful, and then the water frequently washes over the deck and hits the backs and feet of all who stand there. It was powerful and refreshing at the same time. I had to hold on to the railings to keep my balance, and I was glad I had on a thick raincoat to keep the water from stinging as it blew against my back and legs. It reminded me of seeing those weather guys on the news. I guess that's why they call it the Hurricane deck. Anyway, I would go back anytime I get the chance. We even walked over to Canada from the falls. Again, I just say, WOW!!!
• GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA...Well, if you've only seen it in pictures, you really ought to see it in real life. It's an amazing sight, and much more than I expected. It took me a number of years - even living there in Arizona - to visit, but I was glad when I finally did.
• LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA...I know, you hear that and think of EARTHQUAKES and weirdos. Well, I guess being raised there has made me see it differently. I have survived a few quakes, and went through months of thinking that every building movement was another one, but I've also had some great times & known some great people out there. I, myself, am a Valley Girl, but not in the sense you might think...like, I didn't get into the valley-girl scene, like, ya know? But, really, the valley does have a great group of people, that freely share their different cultures. We had a church service one night where we sang the same song over & over, switching from English to Spanish to Korean. It was beautiful, and I'm sure that God liked it. I still want to learn Spanish better than the little I know now, but since I'm studying Hebrew, the Spanish will have to wait awhile. The valley is also not far from mountains & lakes in one direction, and LOTS of BEACHES in the other. Plus, there's A LOT of SUNSHINE. Check a travel channel or video sometime and at least take a virtual tour. There's plenty to see besides the Walk of Stars in Hollywood.
• FRAIZER PARK, CALIFORNIA...Well, the primary reason for this being on my list is because of my Dad living there. But, also, it is a beautiful little mountain-top city (more like community than city) with some REALLY NICE people, like my Dad's friends...Walt & Pam. My other Grandfather, Victor, lives up there and is retired, while my Dad makes his living building stringed instruments from scratch, and preaching. And there are a lot of people up there who like Bluegrass music, so my Dad's mandolins, dulcimers, and banjos go well. I could EASILY live in this place.
• LAS VEGAS, NEVADA...No, it's not ALL about gambling. I love to go to Vegas to PLAY in all of the new indoor amusement parks they're building. They've got a bunch of live shows...a volcano show, a pirate show, Merlin taming a fire-breathing dragon, and many more...especially water-fountain/light/laser shows...and great themed casinos with architecture & costuming that is just fantastic. Plus, the surrounding city is high-desert and has WARM nights. I like the warm part for sure...at least a night.
• SANTA ROSA & SEBASTAPOL, CALIFORNIA...Well, this is where the forest meets the beach. It's amazing how, on one side of the road there can be giant redwood pines, and then on the other, looking down the mountainside can bring in the view and sounds of waves crashing onto the beach & rocks below. Actually, the cities I've listed here aren't right on the coast like my description, but close. I listed these cities, though, because I have a lot of Cousins, Great Aunts & Uncles, etc., there. My fondest childhood memory is of sleeping over at my Great-Grandma Mac's house, sleeping in her bed under a chenille bedspread, and waking up to the smells of percolating coffee & frying bacon. Plus, all of the adults gathered in the living room drinking coffee would be talking at a hush to not wake me & my sister, and then when we would get up, they'd greet us with big hugs & warm smiles as if we'd been gone on some long trip to a far-away place. Oh, and the sunshine, and the creek, and the doves, and Grandma's Apple Pie...I could go on and on. The memory is so peaceful that visiting my relatives up there still gives me that same feeling. I only wish it were closer so I could visit more often.
• FOUR CORNERS, USA...This place is great just because you can actually get your body into four states (Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico) all at once. It's on an Indian Reservation, and it's VERY much in the desert.
• FORT WAYNE, INDIANA...Well, I don't know as much about this place as others but, since I was born there, I thought I should list it. My parents actually lived in a small town in OHIO, called HICKSVILLE, but the doctors office was small & they were concerned about some possible complications with my birth. It all went well, and my Mom even says that there was an angel in the room with us when I was born. I can tell you this, I stayed in a hotel there for awhile while I traveled with a photo studio, and I could've gotten pretty attached if it had a bit more sunshine. The mall there is THE most beautiful I've ever seen, and I heard they have a great bontanical garden there, but I haven't seen it yet. Maybe someday.