Saturday, July 28, 2012

Have Marc & Android - WILL TRAVEL

The reason for this title is that we were so happy to have Marc & his android with us on this trip.  I'll tell you, that android could spoil you in a quick minute, the way it would pull up any and all information we needed.

July 18-23, 2012 Marc, Mickey & I took a trip to New Mexico.  On Thursday, the 19th, we spent the entire day in SANTA FE for the sole purpose of reminiscing and showing Marc some of the many spots of my childhood.  It was a WONDERFUL, very emotional day for me.

 I lived at 202 Navajo Blvd. from 1939 (I was born Dec. 25, 1937) until December of 1955.  Street sign at the corner of Navajo & Tesque.
I was so disappointed to find this huge fence blocking the view of 202 Navajo.  I was tempted to knock the door and ask if I could go in, but decided against that.


This is what the house looked like with my mother & father standing on the porch in  the 1940's.
This is 204 Navajo.  My father owned the lot next to our home and after the war he had this home built next door which they used as rental  property.  You can see the For Sale sign in the front yard and you can imagine our shock when we called for the price (Marc identified himself as the grandson of the builder and that we were only in Santa Fe visiting and just curious) which was $425,000.  I'm sure my father took note of that information!!!!!

 This Johnny's Market (I short block from my home) was there when I was growing and I made MANY a trip here, for not only bread & milk but candy.  I stole a candy bar from here one time, I have no idea how old I was, but when my father found out what I had done, which was almost immediately, he made me go back, by myself, and confess!!!  It was a very important life lesson I never forgot.
 This sign was not on the vacant block that served as a park and was across the street and between my home and Johnny's Market
 By the time I was a teenager they had added a swing set and a teeter totter and here are some picture of me back in those days.
 Here I am standing by a huge tree (there was another just as huge to the left) in the park as it is today.  The original playground equipment was gone.  I had hoped to take a picture in that old swing and on that old teeter totter.  The grass and the chain link fence were not there when I grew up.

After I married my parents bought a newer, bigger home in the Stamm Addition not too far from the Navajo home.  The address was 1398 Santa Rosa Drive.   Below is the current picture of the house.  I would not have recognized it without the address!!
This is a picture of Jacque & Suzette, taken in front of the 1398 Santa Rosa house in 1957.  Note all the grass & plantings are gone.

NOW TO DOWN TOWN

 The old Santa Fe Public Library is now a museum but I spent MANY hours here during the 2 hours I had between my walk to town from grade school & Junior High school and waiting  for my father to ride home at 5.
 The Palace of the Governors.  Indians selling their wares just as they did when I was growing up.  It was, and still is a museum and was built around a large, open patio area in the center.  As a young person I spent many hours playing here also.  When we went to go into the patio to show Marc they now charge you to enter!!  That was a shock to me.
 The Santa Fe Art Museum - Another place where I spent MANY hours.  I have several poignant memories  here.  One,  I use to go in and play the grand piano any time I wanted, which was often.  My piano recitals were held here.  My forever friend, Joan, and I also got locked in here one afternoon - when they closed we happened to be in the restroom and they were unaware and locked us in!!!  I called my father who had to call the Museum Director and he had to come down and open it so we could get out.  Oh yes, those days were innocent and free and children growing up today have no idea of those innocent days.

 Monument & plaque in the center of The Plaza.  Again, many hours playing and running around this monument.  It did not have the picket fence when we were growing up.
 Another play area - the band stand in the middle of the Plaza.  I huge by my legs on those rails many times, as well as jumping and running up and down and all around here.
 My father owned and operated H.H. Errett Realty and Insurance from this location.  His address was Room 3, Gans Building, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
 There are 2 steep, narrow flights of steps up to the second floor, and then another set of steps to the 3rd floor.  My dad literally ran up and down these steps several times a day until late in life.  One of the reasons he lived to be 86 years & 7 months of age.
 The area where my fathers office had been had been closed off to encompass rooms #1, 2, & 3 and the door was locked but opened.  I hollered to see if anyone would come.   A woman did come from one of the back rooms and when I told her who I was, my story and that my father had occupied Room 3 for many years she was gracious enough to let us in and I was able to take several pictures inside his office.

We, of course, spent a lot of time walking around the plaza, downtown and the various shops.  I priced both my squash blossom necklace and my concho belt and was pleasantly surprised at their value!!!

Tired, HOT, and very hungry we used Android to locate a cafe to get some good, authentic MEXICAN food with green chili.  Turned out we made a good choice with The Horseman's Haven.  When I was growing up the High School Sports Team was called Demon's, but a number of years ago a controversay  arose over the name "Demon" and it was changed to Horseman.

The food was as good as we hoped!!!


The sad and final stop of our journey this day was here where my father, mother & 1/2 sister, Marion, are buried.


A sad moment for all 3 of us as Marc & I locate the grave markers.  Many tears for me as I have only been back here about 5 times. 

Then it was time to drive the 60 miles back to Albuquerque where Marc picked up his rental car so we wouldn't be tied at the hips for the entire trip.
This picture is taken at the home of my forever friend, Joan who, in Phoenix with her husband at a business conference,  left us a key and total access to her lovely Albuquerque home for the 5 nights of our stay.  I have known Joan since the 2nd grade and all these childhood memories included her.  You truly are a "sister" to me Joan.  We've been friends for 68 years!!!!  Few people can make a claim like that.

The next day, Friday, Marc meet up with a high school friend from his past, Lorri, and they spent the afternoon reminiscing at the Albuquerque sights of their days, rode the tram to the Sandia Crest and went out for dinner. Mickey & I began attending the Hebraic Roots Conference we had come for.  THAT will be a separate post.

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Monday, July 9, 2012

REAL CHRISTIANITY Small Group - Update #2

This Small Group began on May 6th.  You can read about it here.

I have to admit that Jesus would have to say to me, "Ye of little faith." Romans 8:28 (Partial)  

I am so thankful the above is TRUE 
 "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us."  Ephesians 3:20  

My vision, when I spoke to our Pastor Steve about doing this Small Group, was believing for 10 to 20 people who would attend, get involved and participate. We started with 30 on week one.  The room we had been assigned had only 25 chairs so we had to bring in 5 extra chairs.  

Sunday before last we had 5 new people come, and yesterday, July 10th, we had 16 new people come and the attendance was 44!!!  Double +4 of my highest expectation.

This post is certainly not to brag on Susan & Kent, but 'LOOK WHAT THE LORD HATH DONE" when we step out and follow His voice and what He tells us to do.  Yes HE does "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think".  Praise God He does.

So I am here to encourage you, WHATEVER God is speaking to you to do, be obedient and then WATCH WHAT GOD WILL DO and then share it with others so they will go and do likewise.  

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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Oksana's 2012 Visit - Part II

I just want to praise the Lord for all He is doing in our lives!!

Oksana, our 17 year old grand-daughter, just spent 3 wonderful week here with her dad, Marc, and us. He dad flew her in on Saturday, June 16th so she was here to celebrate Father's Day with her Dad and Grandpa on the 17th at the celebration that Jacque & Benny hosted at their home.  It was so good to have her home and to see the maturity, growth and calmness in her. 

Helping out at The King's Kitchen on Tuesday, June 26th

 I treated Oksana, Jacque & myself to manicures & pedicures on Saturday, June 23rd

Proud Grandma Susan with 2 of her 3 Grands, Aric & Oksana - just having fun and enjoying each other.

 Aric, Jacque, Susan, Oksana, Marc
Aric, Mickey, Susan, Oksana, Marc
The above 2 were taken outside Meme's Cafe where we enjoyed a wonderful meal after having family portraits made

Yesterday, Saturday, July 7th, Marc drove both Oksana & Aric 1/2 way to St. Louis, MO where they meet up with their mother to take them the other 1/2 of the trip to Indiana.  Aric is going to be visiting there with his mother for 3 weeks.

It was a wonderful 3 weeks that flew by.


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Thursday, July 5, 2012

TIME as MARBLES


I first posted this on August 12, 2007 - As I was looking over some old posts I decided to re-post this again.  Why, because it's a very real shock to realize that I've used 1,787 more of my marbles during this time.  It truly is like sand passing through an hour glass :o) 

1,000 MARBLES

"The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the garage with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.


Let me tell you about it:I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whom-ever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles."


I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. It's too bad you missed your daughter's "dance recital" he continued. "Let me tell you something that has helped me keep my own priorities."


And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles.""You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years."Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part.It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays." "I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy.


So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the shack next to my gear.""Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight.""Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time." "It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. This is a 75 Year old Man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!"


You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter.Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles."


Mickey and I are getting really low on marbles!!!!!! But I'm here to tell you, we're really enjoying the game!!!!!!!
HOW ABOUT YOU?!!!!!

As I close this out on July 5, 2012 I want to leave you with a question and a comment.  How are you using your precious marbles of one day at a time?  I am pleased with how Jesus has helped me live my life for these past 1,787 days.  We've faced MANY difficulties, many of which I would never have imagined, but we have remained true to our God and He has helped us no matter how difficult or joyous the day.  PRAISE BE TO JESUS our LORD and SAVIOR. 


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Wednesday, July 4, 2012

The Circle Maker

My 8th book for 2012 is:


Yet another powerful book was placed in my hands.  A dear friend at church said, "Susan you've GOT to read this book!" and she gave me a copy of it.  She had said, "It's the most powerful book on prayer I have ever read and every Christian needs to read it."  I agree, it is a very powerful book that everyone should read so I am recommending it.  

A few quotes from this book:  
"But that is the litmus test of trust.  Do you trust that God is for you even when He doesn't give you what you asked for?  Do you trust that He has reasons beyond your reason?  Do you trust that His plan is better than yours?" 
 "There is nothing God wants to do more than prove His power by keeping His promises.  But we doubt God because we doubt ourselves.  We don't ask God to extend His hand because we don't know His heart."
"Destiny is not a mystery.  For better or for worse, your destiny is the result of your daily decisions and defining decisions. ...If you make good decisions on a daily basis, it has a cumulative effect that pays dividends the rest of your life."

Get this book - you will not regret it!!!
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