At least the lilacs are on time.

Spring has lingered this year.  Instead of cool mornings and tempting balmy afternoons rain has pelted down violently. But at least the lilacs are on time.

Seven Years

Today James and I celebrate seven years of marriage.

Seven years ago we were nineteen-year-olds who couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces as we said our vows just an hour before we had to be at the airport to go back home after a weekend of wandering Las Vegas.

According to Biblical scholars the number seven bears weight. God rested on and sanctified the seventh day, created seven festivals for people to celebrate, and ordained every seventh year as a sabbatical year for the land to rest. 

This anniversary is certainly the most restful we've had. After James got home from work we went out to breakfast at a diner we love and celebrated by  trading stories and drinking absolutely terrible coffee. Then everyone including the dogs adjourned to bed where a day of sleeping will ensue.

I thank God that I am married to the kind of man who wraps his arms around me every chance he gets. He teases and laughs with me. Encourages me in my faith. Argues and plays Devil's Advocate. Introduced me to my favorite band.  Manages to keep a straight face when I start in on a crazy project. Always holds my hand in the car. Loves me just for who I am.

Happy Anniversary James. I love you. Be my husband forever, okay?

Okay.

In Memoriam of Memorial Day.

 (Photo from our trip to Las Vegas in August 2009)

On Memorial Day seven years ago James and I were pacing the Las Vegas strip. The hot wind swirled around us as we sipped our extra large sodas and toured the desert oasis. We took in the wonders from the sparkling blue pools of the Venetian to the MGM at the end of the hotel lined roadway Vegas is so famous for.

We were cooling our heels waiting for the banks to open so we could be married. But that is a story for another day.

Memorial Day in 2012 looked a little different. Instead of a hot desert our holiday unfurled  in a rainy mountain home in the Northwest as the wind blew cold and rain threatened.  At eleven o'clock most of our family gathered for brunch to do what we do best -- eat and tease each other.

May is also the height of planting season for my mother-in-law. Therefore flora and fauna abounded. Greenery of every kind surrounded the house, perimeter of the yard, and back porch.

 

 It even hung from the rooftop.

In the warm safety of the house a few of us made brunch. I whipped up my extra healthy and extra famous take on Stovern Hashbrowns which borders on au gratin. Anything with potato, cheese, and bacon in the morning is dubbed Stovern Hashbrowns. When camping it is a staple food and the wellspring of existence. The brunch version goes as follows:

1 can Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup
1 16oz container sour cream
1 bag frozen hash browns
2 cups shredded cheese
4 slices bacon, crumbled, chopped, or made smaller somehow
Granulated garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper to taste. Start with a teaspoon of each and see how you feel. I ended up with 3-4 tablespoons garlic, a couple teaspoons salt, and a couple of cayenne pepper.

Bake in the oven at about 400 degrees for around 30 minutes. Enjoy.

And along with french toast and bacon, we enjoyed it very much indeed.

So much so that I was inspired to nap in front of the television afterward.

Phone Love

I fell in love at the Verizon store yesterday.

Since our schedules seem to do nothing but clash as of late James and I have been trying to squirrel away the odd nuggets of time that we have together. Yesterday neither of us had to work till evening and since we had both sufficiently slept in my husband and I made the journey to Coeur d' Alene for some fine dining (Red Robin) and some phone window shopping.

After a delicious Whiskey River BBQ burger and a tall frosty glass of Diet Coke I waddled to the car ready to go and thumb my nose at all the phones available to replace my Droid Eris.

What else could replace it?

After all, my Eris and I have had our share of ups and downs. It has been with me through almost everything --failing to remind me of appointments, ringing every morning at six even though I didn't set the alarm, using all of the available storage space hoarding uneccessary Facebook contacts. What other device could be a "smart" phone and yet fail to be able to run Instagram even after I signed up for the early notification for download? That was a very sad Wednesday.

I was convinced I would never own a Droid again. I was so ready to wipe the memory and recycle the thing and ditch it for an iPhone even though James insists we are a PC household. My iPod is as much as he'll tolerate.

But then Droid began to worm its way into my heart and by the time I got home all I could think about was the slim lines and beautiful LCD screen of the Droid X2. I must have been dreaming about the high quality camera and the duo-core processor in between my nightmares of burning scrambled eggs for a crowd. It must have been the ability to run Instagram.

It's got my pulse racing and my finger ready to click the fastest available shipping choice.