2016 Goals, and I say Goals Very Loosely

Hubby and I left on Friday late afternoon for Seattle. We were tired, a little emotionally depleted after the funeral and the week so we walked to Oliver's for something familiar and comfortable. I needed to go to the Seattle Gift Show for the museum.  I cancelled all appointments, and just did a quick  catalog gathering walk through both buildings.  I had some orders ready to go that I could just hand off to my reps.  The rest of the ordering will happen from my desk.

  

We got home Saturday evening.  We went to church Sunday morning and then had dinner with Max and Kassie before he had to drive back over the pass.

I hope to get back to my regular posts about family fun, fun with friends, recipes, and the daily grind.  It feels like I've been in mourning, busy with Christmas, and not myself. 

 I am ready for boring and normal.

Hubby and I decided to not take any big trips in 2016.  We want to take out Huaka'i Annie and do some camping.  We have a road trip planned for February to visit Hubby's family and Max in George, WA with a detour on the way home to get a snow fix.  In April we are going on another road trip.  So, no flights this year.  It's all good...

Until I see good fares to Maui, Disneyland deals or a cruise bargain and then I get a little antsy but I think we will stick with road and ferry trips this year.  We are looking forward to just rambling around the Pacific Northwest.

If anyone is rambling our way, the guest room is still celebrating Christmas.  The landing is still a hot mess with Christmas decorations.  I am sorting, sifting and organizing in 2016.  It is really difficult to stay the course.  It's very tempting to cram it in a closet.  The struggle is real.

It's not just the Christmas that is getting organized, I have been going through my closet.

I am definitely going to need a trip to Girlfriend's Consignment on the island.  I am considering a yard sale this summer and making trips to the thrift store.  Lofty goals!

It's time to clean up and simplify.

Ask me how this is going in June.

Those new year goals have a way of falling by the wayside.

Or in my case, getting buried in the rommel.

* rommel is the Dutch word for junk.

Carry on my friends and enjoy the normal.

Aunt Nelda

We all have regrets in our lives.  Times where we say that we wished we had done things differently or that we had just done something.  I have many of those regrets. 

In 2016 I am working to focus on the things that I am happy I did or that I made happen.

Because there are those things too.

I became mindful of the focus when Hubby talked to me about some things that he was so happy for me that I had done with my Dad. Some times when we lose someone we love we tend to have regrets.  I am thankful for my husband's immediate thoughts of the good things that happened towards the end of my Dad's life.  Hubby said to me the night my Dad died that he was so happy and thankful for three things I did with my Dad.  First, I asked my Dad if he would like to have the Lord's Supper with his family, he did want to and I called Pastor Steve, who graciously came to my folk's place and made that happen for us.  Secondly, Hubby told me he was so grateful for the Thanksgiving dinner at our place and that I had fussed to make it special. And thirdly, that I had prayed aloud with Dad on his last afternoon with us.  Good stuff for sure.

This week we have my Aunt Nelda's funeral service, she was a dear aunt and friend for me.

I have some times with my dear Aunt Nelda that I know she treasured and I am so thankful for them.

I was her first niece and she spoiled me, took me to basket ball games in a navy wool pleated skirt and top that matched her pep club outfit. I was her flower girl. She had me overnight before she had boys of her own and made it so fun for me.

I have three specific times that I am so thankful I had with my Aunt Nelda.  I'm not focusing on regrets but rather the good things I did for and with her.  The links are highlighted.

One September my family was going to Silver Lake.  On the Sunday before I asked my folks, if we may want to invite all of the Vander Haaks for an extended family reunion.  It was last minute, I mailed out info, I called everyone and it happened. Cabins and RVs, good visits, good food, games, crafts, and it came together really quickly.  Aunt Nelda had grand kids with her and we had a lot of fun with them.

Several years later Hubby and I had my Dad's siblings and spouses over for dinner to celebrate Dad's birthday.  My Aunt Nelda had just been diagnosed with ALS.  We didn't have dinner with them, Hubby and I served them instead.  I asked my sister that is a Snapsister to photograph part of the evening.  It was an evening to remember and I'll treasure it forever.

Lastly, I am thankful to have done the ALS Walk with my dear, brave auntie. She fought that horrible disease with dignity and grace.  I was so blessed by her gracious spirit.

Today, I want to encourage you to focus on the hope and the good, because there really is a lot of good and we have the hope of salvation.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all

joy and peace in believing,

that you may abound in hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

A Perfect Storm in the City

Last January I had booked a room for the Seattle Gift Show and Market 2016. I was all set with a two bedroom unit.  In December I was preoccupied with Dad's funeral and Christmas.  In January I went online to verify the hotel and print my show passes only to be met with the glaring headline, NEW DATE PATTERN on the gift show site. Great, now I have a beautiful room, no reason to go, and I am past the cancellation date. 

Hubby told me to find some friends and go for fun.  Really? Yes, really.  

Leslie and Marjean agreed to drive down with me on Thursday.  We planned to work in the morning at the museum and then get on the road.  I received an email from Girlfriend Estate Sales with the sales for the week.  On Thursday there would be a sale at a former studio for pin up pictures in downtown Seattle. I found volunteers to cover for the girls and we left in the morning.

Who wouldn't? The pictures were interesting. The sale was downtown and we were going there anyway.  It was a pinup picture studio filled with costumes, props, tiki galore and more mid century modern than you can imagine.  These photos are just a sample of their many photos they had posted for the upcoming sale.

Ohhhh yes, we laughed. And then we laughed some more.  I could hardly think straight and probably should have bought more but it was overwhelming.  So many brassiere and garter sets, so little time...

 

 I kid.  I went for the yellow thermos with the sporty theme.  I ended up with the Sportman picni-table complete with an extra tin and thermos too.  The dinnerware is inside. I had to carry that beast from Post Alley back to downtown and our hotel.  I think she's worth it  though.

Chris, you would have been so proud of me.  I used the negotiating skills you've given me.  Those lessons came in handy.  Leslie overheard the gal running the sale commenting on my skills. Not necessarily in a nice way.  Oh well, I spotted that thermos, I drove two hours to get it and I wasn't going to leave without it just because it was overpriced... There had to be some negotiating.

 Marjean got the grapes! And Aunt Bea's secret recipes.  The tray is perfect with the grapes.

I cannot share what Leslie purchased.

No, don't even go there.

Nothing risque!

She bought gifts so they must remain a secret.

We shopped, we lunched (you know how much I love a good department store lunch), and I took Leslie around the block to City Dog.  Leslie loves dogs and I couldn't wait to show her doggy daycare in the city.

 City Dog could have charged her to go inside and play with the dogs.

I had so much fun with Leslie and Marjean. We enjoyed happy hours, 75% off the sale price kind of sales and a lot of good conversation. It was Therapy Thursday for two days.

On Friday at five the girls packed up and I went to meet my friend, Jean.  Leslie and Marjean took a cab to the the Amtrak station where they caught the train into Bellingham.  

Jean works downtown and commutes from Vashon Island.  We met for a drink at the new Habitant on the third floor in Nordstrom.  I love Jean's enthusiasm and creative energy.  We had a great visit before she had to catch a water taxi and then the ferry home to the island.

I shopped a bit and then walked back to my hotel, called Hubby, and tidied up the place for my next guests.  My sissies Kathi and Melinda were on the Bolt bus, coming to join me for the weekend.

They caught another bus to Westlake Center and walked to the hotel where I met them with a glass of wine and snacks before dinner.

We had missed our sisters trip in November.  Jodi and Lissa had plans so they couldn't join us but we muddled through without them.

On Saturday morning after bargain hunting at Macys we were approached for a make over.  They could take the three of us at the same time.  Why not?  They found Kathi and my eyebrows and tamed Mel's. 

I have stayed at the Camlin many times because my mom-in-love is so generous.  It was the first time though that I was told about the limo that will pick up Camlin guests and take them to Salty's on Alki Beach for dinner. We decided to try it.  The concierge called for us to be picked up at 6:30 p.m. and assured us that as guests of the Camlin we would be guaranteed a window table, he told us the suggested gratuity for the limo driver and we were set.

Now we even had our make up done for our night on the town.

 Our driver gave a us a city tour on our trip to Alki Beach, the food was fabulous and we may have had the best table in the restaurant.  We were living large so we ordered Baked Alaska for dessert.. 

Sunday morning we slept in and then ordered breakfast for in our room while we watched the Seahawks game. The Hawks showed up little too late but overall a fun season with the Seahawks.  After the game I drove us home.

It was the perfect storm.  Considering all of the public transportation and everyone's schedules it was amazing.  It worked like clockwork though and it was a wonderful weekend for me.

I wish I had taken a picture of each gal's luggage because it is fun to see the variety.  I only took a pic of Melinda's because she  had vintage,no wheels!  Marjean had a small back pack, Leslie had an overnight bag and Kathi had a very small tote. I brought my carry on piece of luggage because I was there three nights,  Obviously I had to take three pairs of boots.. It's how I roll.

A big thank you to all my gals for making this weekend work.

 Now, I need to get busy cleaning my treasures.  Have a good day my friends!

A Eulogy for my Dad

Today I am sharing the eulogy I gave at my Dad's funeral service in December. Many have asked how I got up in a full church and shared my thoughts on that day. By the grace of God, the prayers of my friends and family I could do this last tribute for my Dad.

Our Dad had nicknames for each of his kids, I was Grace because I have none, Kathi was Kase or Spacey Kasey, Ken was Beaver as in Leave it to Beaver and Jodi was The Baby.  When Dad went to the ER in September Kathi went and Dad’s face lit up and he said, Kase,You Came!  Once he was at home he always gave Jodi a hard time about forgetting him and not coming back.   It wouldn’t happen and he knew it. Dad wanted to be at home with family and friends coming and going.  I am grateful to my Mom, my family, Dad’s caretakers and  to Hospice for making that possible for him. Thank you.

My Dad...

When I went to Dordt College my Dad’s Grandma was living in a care center in Worthington, Minnesota and he wanted me to visit her.  So one weekend I went to stay with my Great Aunt Susie and she took me to visit my Great Grandma.  Aunt Susie walked up to her bed and told Great Grandma who I was… "this is Tami, Dora’s granddaughter, Rich’s oldest daughter."  She looked up and said, “ahhh Rich, he was the naughty one."  Aunt Susie was mortified and I, well I knew she knew who my Dad was.

Dad grew up on the family farm on Bender Rd with his parents and brothers Ed, John and Darryl and his  little sister, Nelda.   

I’d like to share memories for my Uncle Ed.

In 1949, our dad bought a brand new,  black, 49  Ford, with white walls, a V8 with overdrive.   Dad took the family on a trip to Iowa, he was so proud of this car.  But Rich had his own ideas about the car, and felt that the car was already his, even though he didn't have his driver's license yet.  Everytime we couldn't find Rich, he'd be outside with the hood up trying figure out how he could soup this car up.  One day he had taken the distributor apart,  and as he was putting it back together, he cracked the cap. The car wouldn't start.  Dad was hopping mad, because it was the only car we had... and he had a consistory meeting that night.   So he made Rich walk to town, to get the part.  The walk to town didn't take Rich as long as it should have, so I think some hitchhiking was involved.  The story ended well for him. Rich fixed the car and dad was able to make it to the consistory meeting.

After Rich got his driver's license, Dad would let him take the car to school once in awhile.   Until... one day he skipped school and he and his buddies (JimVanzwool and Ernie Zweegman) took two cars to the race track, one of those cars being his dad's prized possession, the 1949 Ford.  The racing began... but came to an abrupt stop when Rich rolled his Dad's car onto it's side.   When Rich drove it back on the yard that day, Dad came out of the barn and just looked at the car,  staring... no words... and then, he just walked away... and went back to milking the cows. And that is how Rich got the car.

Another time, early one morning around 1:00 a.m. Rich was on his way home from visiting his girlfriend, Doris.  A nice Oldsmobile, v8 came right up behind him, inviting him to a race. So, naturally, Rich raced the guy.  Hitting speeds of over 90 mph and then came to find out the passenger in the other car was a cop. Rich was fined and his license was suspended for 6 months. Everybody felt sorry for Rich, because he truly was set up.  Rich ended up having some time taken off of his 6 month suspension due to the neighborhood uproar of the injustice.
  

My Dad stayed out of trouble for the most part, not sure if by being good or not getting caught, as there are other stories about racing at the Lynden fairgrounds.  His love of racing started young and he really did enjoy NASCAR. I got to watch one of his last races with him while Fred took Mom to church a few Sundays ago.

Dad loved a good fishing story, he had a few himself.  Dad was waiting for the school bus one morning and he saw a salmon in the ditch, he ran to the barn, grabbed a pitchfork and brought dinner to Grandma.  
My brother Ken had a lot of quality time with Dad in his boat, the SeaHaak,  and while riding around with Dad on Saturday mornings.  Dad and Ken would go the farm to visit Uncle Ed and Uncle Darryl to see if there was anything that needed fixing or they would stop in to see his cousin, Larry or go hunting for deer in the Fall. Quiet rides where Ken learned a lot just being with Dad.  Later he picked up his grandson Max and they went on rides to the farm and to the auction barn for lunch. Later Max picked him up and until September his friend Ken and his brothers, Ed and Darryl picked him up for coffee at the Dutch Treat or lunch at the auction barn.

Dad was pretty adventurous, he liked to hunt and fish, and took us hiking and camping. We took one trip up north to Vande Hoef in Canada, Dad thought he might like to move his family there.  We went with the De Boers and Korthuis families in campers.  The first night, they ended up pulling up just a bit to get everyone off the train tracks, which was good as the trains roared by all night. The campers were shaking and swaying. The rains were constant and often torrential, the mosquitoes were huge and angry, the trip was long and many miles were on gravel roads. One day while at Burns Lake, Dad, Ken and Ray left the Moms and kids at camp and there was some trouble.  We were told no casting off from the dock while the Dads are gone. Sadly, we didn’t listen and one of the kids caught a little Canadian girl in the top of her head.  There was the walk of shame back to camp with her screaming and still on the line.  Oooh the moms were mad!  We all got sent to our campers and told just wait until the Dads get back! I remember Dad trying not to laugh when he came in the camper and Mom told him the story.  I think the Dads had a really fun day. The Moms, not so much and their anger at us kids turned on the Dads when they got back.   The whole trip sounds miserable as I tell you about it but it really was fun and memorable.  Dad decided to stay in Lynden because he felt that his wife needed electricity and his kids needed to go to football games on Friday nights.

Dad referred to that trip and all others as glorious days.

Whether it was a week of glorious days or just a weekend, whether it was camping or going to Hawaii with Jay and Marge, it was glorious. But Dad always said the best part of going away is coming home.

Our kids have some great memories of camping with Grandpa and Grandma and going to hunting camp with the Belds, Stuits, DeBoers and other friends. There were dirt bikes, horses and a lot of babies at our hunting camps.  And a lot of stories around the campfire. My husband, Fred was riding around with him one time at hunting camp and Dad told him if you see one down the embankment don’t tell me, because we don’t want to have to yard it out of there.  

When we camped with the De Boers, our parents played pinochle in the evenings and if the there was laughing and joking it meant Dad and Ray were winning.  If we came in the trailer and it was quiet and Dad asked...  what do you kids need?  We knew Mom and Eileen were winning, and we should just get out of there.

Uncle Ed shared how he and Aunt Twyla got married within a year of my folks and shortly after they started playing pinochle together. Uncle Ed said…”Rich was always a good pinochle player, and would always win.  Every time I had a good hand and would think I was going to beat him...  he'd bid me up and I'd lose it all... every time.  This went on for over 50 years.”   

Dad could fix just about everything and we often had car trouble on vacation.  My sisters, brother and I are paranoid about car trouble yet today. Well, we’re going but we might not get there?

When Jodi got her VW bug, Dad told her to she should put some water in the radiator and then he watched out the window…  VW’s don’t have radiators.  When Kathi bought a car to take to Iowa Dad had Kathi and I buy snow chains and put them on.  We bumbled around, got them on but only after we had them on did Dad explain that the chains went on the front tires because the car was front wheel drive. Kathi, Jodi and I always went to Dad with our car problems. Dad trumped our husbands on car repair.  He taught Ken how to fix engines and later when the Parkinson’s kept him from doing it himself Dad gave instructions to others so they could do the work of his hands.  

In July, Dad helped Fred pack the wheel bearings on our ‘57 Aloha. His hands were covered in grease.  I asked him if it felt good and he said. Really.  We  remember our Dad’s hard working hands as calloused, stained with grease and that he often smelled of gas and diesel.  Dad worked hard for his family and for our education.  His church and the Christian school meant a lot to him.

My Dad had a quiet sense of humor,a quiet demeanor, and a kind and gentle spirit.  My Mom said he never raised his voice.  That would be true but along with the quiet comes the silent treatment. We wanted to please my Dad so we tried to stay out of trouble. All my Mom had to say was, I don’t think Dad will like that… Which she continued to tell us until last week.

We were so blessed my our parent’s marriage, the love Dad had for Mom. And on his last day he told us, “ take care of mother.”  

Even in his death we were blessed by Dad, we all came, and we all got to say goodbye.  He asked, where are my grandsons?  And so we called the kids in to say good bye.  He told me Thanksgiving was beautiful.

I asked him if it was too loud to have everyone there on Friday and he said that he was glad.

We listened to music and I prayed with Dad on Friday and thanked God for my Dad and told Jesus that Dad was ready to be with Him. We had tears  and a lot of laughs as we said our farewells.  

So he spent his last day just the way he liked all of his days, with his wife, his kids, his in laws, his grand kids, and his brothers and then he went to his heavenly Father to be with the family of God.

What a guy.

I felt as though I had been going on long enough at this point so I didn't share this last bit at the funeral service but it was written and meant to be shared.

I want read something from the book My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers.

"There is only one relationship that really matters, and that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord. If you maintain that at all costs, letting everything else go, God will fulfill His purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless value to God's purposes, and yours may be that life." --Oswald Chambers, from My Utmost for His Highest

I think my Dad would want everyone here to know that and live their lives with God's purpose too.

2016 Begins

Isn't a fresh start just grand?  Nothing like a new year to take stock, reorganize and begin again.

In 2015 I had a small calendar for keeping track of  my appointments and my volunteers.  I have to have a paper calendar to record my docents' shifts at the museum.  The iPhone calendar is great but I am on my phone while scheduling so that doesn't work for me.  For 2015 I found my planner at Micheals in the dollar (actually two or three dollars) section.  There were so many choices of covers, it was $1.50 and perfect.  Of course, they didn't have them for 2016.

Oh the angst!  The searching!

I found a small 2016 planner at our new bookstore in Lynden, Village Books.  It was closer to twenty dollars than one dollar.  Not a spiral, not inexpensive but it has the correct layout, pretty art between the months,  a magnet clasp to keep it closed and a ribbon bookmark.  I shall carry on with it for the year.  It is something I use daily and all year so in my mind it's a big deal.

 I picked up a new address book in Seattle.  My address book was getting to be a mess.  If only my family and friends could stay at one address.  Forever.  And please don't die either.

Many do not cooperate and so a new book was purchased, addresses filled in alphabetically using pencil.  A pencil for the movers!

 The artwork in my planner and my address book is eye pleasing which made the chore of getting everything filled in a joy.  All those blank pages and a sharp pencil make me a happy organizer.

 On Saturday I took all Christmas decor out of the attic.  I swept and tidied the attic and then began going through my Christmas collection. This was before I began taking any of the Christmas decorations down for the year.  I worked all day, sorting, cleaning, and organizing.  At the end of the day I still had three trees up.

 I'd like to do some crafting with extra ornaments and other bits and bobs in 2016.  I do believe if things are organized that I cannot really be  called a hoarder.  First and foremost, don't judge me.  Secondly, I have some cool junk. And thirdly, I have some cool junk that I didn't know I had. Sometimes when you have a large collection it is possible to forget what you own.  Remember, don't judge me.  And lastly, I love vintage Christmas and I will not stop the procurement of vintage Christmas.  Even after a long and messy day.

 On Sunday Hubby and I spent the day together in town. We stopped by Franny's sale, and wandered through Penny Lane where I did indeed find something that I didn't have in my collection.

A Crystal Pine Tree with all of the pieces in the original box and it was 75% off. Whoa!

So, it's obvious that I can't or won't stop collecting vintage Christmas.  Not even a day of cleaning, organizing and taking inventory will slow me down.  It just makes me love it more.

 We watched the first half of the Seahawks game at Red Robin while enjoying lunch.  Then it was home for a last lay about before the Christmas season ended at 5:30 a.m. this morning.

It was a wonderful ending to the holiday season with a Seahawks victory and Downton Abbey season premier.  It was a blissful Sunday afternoon and evening including some snow showers.
2016!  Here I come, rested and organized...

Christmas This and That 2015

In between Christmas parties, dinners, decorating, wrapping gifts, entertaining, cooking and baking, I went to work at the museum.  The Lynden Pioneer Museum is a fun place to be in December.  It's all decked out for Christmas, the shop is busy with Christmas shoppers, and  the docents bring in homemade cookies.  It's great when work is festive and fun.

 

 One morning I had several appointments in Bellingham, a cut and color, taking care of my Dad's estate, last minute shopping and some groceries.  But before I left I did a little crafting.  When I sent Hubby a picture he texted back, seriously, are you crafting?

Possibly...

 I really had no time to craft this Christmas but I couldn't resist a paint job on a trailer ornament to add Huaka'i Annie, our '57 Aloha, to my trailer park.

Tami's Trashy Trailer Park is having some growing pains and will be relocating for next Christmas.  I got a tent trailer in my stocking from Santa and a few more trailers to "restore".

 We had a party at Mom's place.  Good food and fun games and a gift grab bag.  The hot gift this year was dryer sheets. I came home with my favorite scent!  Seriously, you have to smell these dryer sheets.

 I made Green Bean Bundles for Christmas dinner at Bill and Jodi's house. We had such a nice time at their place, and after dinner we watched old Christmastime movies of our family.  Seeing my Dad dressed up as Santa with all of the little kids warmed my heart.

 I snuck out and did a little thrifting.  I know, I really didn't have time to be crafting and thrifting this season.  It's therapy!  I found Pokerkub with all of its pieces, no instructions though.  I've googled for rules and I found out that people love this game, it isn't made anymore and and people want to buy it. It should be fun, once we have the rules.

 I helped my baby sister, Jodi, celebrate her 50th birthday with the sisters.

I love my sissies!

 Hubby's sisters came to Lynden for a day.  We had a nice visit with Cherie and Laura.  They ended their visit at Kulshan with family and friends.

One of the highlights for me this Christmas season was a random meeting with a dear friend.  A friend that I had never met in real life.  Michele Jansen and I have been friends through our blogs for many years.  We send each other snail mail, we are facebook friends, we are prayer partners but we had never actually met in real life.  I was so excited and I think she was too.  It was so great to know that she is as warm and sweet in real life as she seems in her posts.  After Michele left her sister and brother asked me... so who are you?  Uhmm, I'm one of your sister's best friends, we've known each other for years just had never actually met in real life.  Ooohhhhh, gotcha.  Hahaha I am still laughing at the way they were looking at me.  Next time Michele and I need an outing all of our own.

Michele, we should have taken a selfie!

So, yes Christmas was different but in so many ways it was the same and it was good.

Happy New Year my friends!

Edited to add: I just saw that Michele wrote about our meeting too. 

You can read it HERE.  We pretty much wrote the same thing!  

Soul sisters!