Monday, December 30, 2019

We Have This Moment Today - 2019 Review




You can learn about someone by where he spends his time- Most of my photos include a person, and the date it may have been taken, as they make up memories . I cannot believe this year is over- This song by Bill Gaither is called We have this Moment and it is a brief look at the past year to not only show you what is important to me, but how fast time goes by. Some may see photos in this video; Some may see Bill Gaither singing a song; but I see Moments and memories to have and to hold. Thanks for viewing my video and blog and , Happy New Year.
Hold tight to the sound of the music of living,
Happy songs from the laughter of children at play;
Hold my hand as we run through sweet fragrant meadows,
Making mem'ries of what was today.
Chorus: We have this moment to hold in our hands
and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand;
Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come,
But we have this moment today.
Tiny voice that I hear is my little girl calling,
For Daddy to hear just what she has to say;
And my little son running there by the hillside,
May never be quite like today.
Tender words, gentle touch and a good cup of coffee,
And someone that loves me and wants me to stay;
Hold them near while they're here & don't wait for tomorrow,
To look back and wish for today.
Take the blue of the sky and the green of the forest,
And the gold and the brown of the freshly mown hay;
Add the pale shades of spring and the circus of autumn,
And weave you a lovely today.



Saturday, December 7, 2019

Merry Christmas 2019


We
Wish you
A Merry Christmas
Our  favorite time of year
A season of hope & good cheer
Counting our blessings from this year
Waiting to hear from friends far and near
Dennis finally gave notice next May to retire
Took a last minute cruise to Alaska this summer
May at Ocean Shores, August camped at Mt Rainer
Last May we also had the DuCette Family get together
Jan busy at Macramé, quilts, Lefsa and artwork in a Fair
Dennis enjoys facebook, blogging, hot tub, and Bill Gaither
Grandkids, Stehekin boat trip, Youth Circus, and walks to store
Hi from Mouse our cat and Barney and Squeaky our green Conure
God Bless you, Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!



Merry Christmas. I hope todays video brings back good memories for you and you experience the Love and Joy that Jesus brought into our world. Thank your for making 2019 special in your own unique way to us. May God Bless you with a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


In 1986 we started our first Christmas Letter as hobby and tradition. In 2005 we created our first Christmas video along with the letter, and this year is the first time the words and video match in overlay words on video. (I even changed some words to match photos I had as I normally write letter first)  Two years I had used two different songs for that years video and my first two years I used same song for those years. (you guess what was the song) This is 7th time I have used Silent night, although each video a different version of that song. I started this tradition to look back at the year,  count my blessings and share equally with our friends/family our yearly news. (I love getting news in Christmas cards from others)  I still love to look back and review the letters, photos and videos. This makes entry 20 in Christmas family label of blog for past 14 years. The other six videos are ones about Christmas, duplicate songs, or ones I rescued from you tube about my grandkids. Each Christmas video is also posted on YouTube with Christmas at Grandma's House in 07 the most viewed with 1522 views. The first you tube video in 95 only has 90 views.  Silent Night in 2011 is most viewed  blog video with 922 views.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Hawaii Five-0 - (Maui Vacation)


Eight years ago today we left for Hawaii for our first time.   We had so much fun.  I have found that looking at old vacation videos is a lot cheaper than going there in person?  I first read a comic book by Dennis the Menace in the early 60's that caught my attention (wish I still owned that comic book- I paid 25 cents for it new). Later I would hear an Adventures in Odessey Story of the Barkleys visiting Hawaii (Focus on the Family) that would keep my attention on that island.(I still own that cassette tape) We had won 3 free nights stay at the Maui in the Banyan in Maui. Temperatures ranged from 46 degrees at 10,000 feet at dawn, to 83 degrees as a high. We traveled 533 miles on our rental car with gas costing around 4.34 a gallon. And the entire 7 days cost us  less than $1,800.  Thank you Journey Travel and Aston at the Maui Banyan and thanks Darcie for watching our animals and house while gone. We had so much fun. And reliving that week did not cost me anything. 

“No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one”

“The alternative to a vacation is to stay home and tip every third person you see.”

“A vacation should be just long enough that you're boss misses you, and not long enough for him to discover how well he can get along without you



Sunday, November 24, 2019

I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing



I love my job and am looking forward to  this winter. I will be working 6 to 4:30pm, Tuesday through Friday in Wenatchee starting Dec. 3rd.  I added a few photos of work 5 years ago when I worked Leavenworth to an old song called "I'd Like to Teach the World To Sing".  It was removed from YouTube for copyright even though I got the music from YouTube.  The song first aired on American radio on February 12, 1971, but failed. I hope you find the tune stuck in your head and I hope you have a Wonderful Holiday Season.

A soprano died and went to Heaven. St. Peter stopped her at the gate asking, "Well, how many false notes did you sing in your life?"
The soprano answers, "Three."
"Three times, fellows!" says Pete, and along comes an angel and sticks the soprano three times with a needle.
"Ow! What was that for?" asks the soprano.
Pete explains, "Here in heaven, we stick you once for each false note you've sung down on Earth."
"Oh," says the soprano, and is just about to step through the gates when she suddenly hears a horrible screaming from behind a door. "Oh my goodness, what is that?" asks the soprano, horrified.
"Oh," says Pete, "that's a tenor we got some time back. He's just about to start his third week in the sewing machine."
Q: How do you tell when your lead singer is at the door?
A: He can't find the key and doesn't know when to come in.


Q: What happens if you play blues music backwards?
A: Your wife returns to you, your dog comes back to life, and you get out of prison.



Friday, October 4, 2019

Down In The Ditch


October 4th, 1993  I started work for WSDOT in Wenatchee. It really was a blessing; as we had just bought this house, our oldest daughter was a senior in High School, Jan had just started her job, and I was on city council- so moving would have changed our lives greatly. That previous month,  I commuted to Kent; as I had to transfer to Kent, or quit my WUTC job. That following year I would learn that additional layoffs at WUTC occurred, if I had stayed with them. DOT has been good to me and I have worked with some great friends. My first winter was spent on Stevens pass working nights plowing snow. I love the variety of work we perform and our goal of keeping the roads open for you.
In 2003 I went to the NCR Striping Crew in the summers and continued to work in maintenance for winters. I actually worked for two different bosses (ok, 3 with my wife) for 14 years. Two years ago last September, I accepted an opening back in Wenatchee maintenance, where I now work.
Thanks to Luther Beatty for hiring me- I have gone thru about a dozen different lead techs, about 7 supervisors and about 6 superintendents.  I enjoy working 4 ten hour days.  I had been assigned to Stevens, and Leavenworth, besides working in Wenatchee. I have seen many changes, shared many laughs, shared some sorrows-and have so many memories that I treasure. I welcome the new hires and it is tougher each time to say goodbye to those retiring or have passed on- just in this video that was made 2 years ago, I counted 14 retired/quit and one who passed on. The Lord Willing I hope to retire March 1st. It really has worked out great and has gone by so fast.

My friend was fired from his job at the road department for stealing. I have to say I saw it coming. The last time I was at his house all the signs were there.



My father's father wanted to know if he could stay with the company in spite of the many changes. They ended up grandfathering him in


Two mentally-challenged fellows are digging a ditch, when one of them asks the other, "Why are we both down in this ditch digging in the hot sun, doing all the work, while our foreman sits in the shade, smoking a cigar, reading a newspaper, and he gets paid more than we do?" His partner says, "I dunno. Why don't you go ask him?" So he climbs out of the ditch, and goes over to where the foreman is. "We were wondering why are we both down in this ditch digging in the hot sun, doing all the work, while you sit in the shade, smoking a cigar, reading a newspaper, and get paid more than we do?" The foreman says, "Well, it's because of education." "Ed-you-kay-shun? What the heck is that?" The foreman smiles broadly, "I was hoping you'd ask that." He puts his hand up on a big tree and says, "Now, you take your shovel, and hit my hand just as HARD as you can." Wow, the old boy's been waiting for a chance like this, so he really cranks up his backswing and let's it fly. But *just* before it hits his hand, the foreman jerks it away. The shovel meets the tree, "BLANG," and the fellow kinda "vibrates" back down into the ditch. His buddy says, "What'd he say?" "Well, he said that the reason why we both down in this ditch digging in the hot sun, doing all the work, while he sits in the shade, smoking a cigar, reading a newspaper, and get paid more than we do is because of ed-you-kay-shun." "Ed-you-kay-shun? What the heck is that?" (smiling broadly) "I was hoping you'd ask that." (puts his hand up in front of his face) "Now, you take your shovel and hit my hand just as HARD as you can..."