An Amazing_Food_Connection

Amazing opportunities have richly blessed my life. I work at Center Partners. Yes, It's a call center, But I get to talk to you and you and you. Every day. You and You and You are amazing. and I love what I do.

In the lunch room, I met Joe. A young man, twenty years my junior, at least but we connected in a way that I enjoy. You see he cooks.

Yes, I know that may sounds funny but really he's a of a person of with an amazing understanding of food. Just talking to him about food is a delight. His whole soul lights up. The big difference between us if that he can cook for large groups and I can cook for a small family.

Where we connect is that I understand food. One of my passions is reading cook books. However, in real life I either burn the food I prepare or it comes out of the kitchen in shifts. My poor family have been teasing me about this for years. In fact, our family lived in an apartment once around the corner from a High School. One his way home, one day, my son smelt smoke and said to his friend. "Uh oh, My Mom's been cooking again!" The horrible part of the story is that he was right. I had become distracted...probably reading a cook book....and burnt dinner.

Then there was the time that our family and guests had to eat our Thanksgiving dinner in shifts....but that's another story for another time.

Today I wanted you to meet Joe. I hope that we can discuss foods together here and that we can find recipes to share that will be a rich blessings for your life.

Ice Cream for Lunch

Today is my East/West Connection Day and I send my love to my friends. I hope you enjoy the following story as much as I did.

One day I had lunch with some friends. Jim, a tall, balding golfer type about 80 years old, came along with them---all in all, a pleasant bunch.

When the menus were presented, we ordered salads, sandwiches, and soups, except for Jim who said, "Ice Cream, please. Two scoops, chocolate.

I wasn't sure my ears heard right, and the others were aghast. "Along with heated apple pie," Jim added, completely unabashed.

We tried to act quite nonchalant, as if people did this all the time.. But when our orders were brought out, I didn't enjoy mine.

I couldn't take my eyes off Jim as his pie a-la-mode went down. The other guys couldn't believe it. They ate their lunches silently and grinned.

The next time I went out to eat, I called and invited Jim. I lunched on white meat tuna. He ordered a parfait.
I smiled. He asked if he amused me
I answered, "Yes, you do, but also you confuse me.

How come you order rich desserts, while I feel I must be sensible? He laughed and said "I'm tasting all that is Possible.

I try to eat the food I need, and do the things I should. But life's so short, my friend, I hate missing out on something good.

This year I realized how old I was. (He grinned) I haven't been this old before."
"So, before I die, I've got to try those things that for years I had ignored..
I haven't smelled all the flowers yet. There are too many trout streams I haven't fished. There's more fudge sundaes to wolf down and kites to be flown overhead.

There are too many golf courses I haven't played. I've not laughed at all the jokes. I've missed a lot of sporting events and potato chips and cokes.

I want to wade again in water and feel ocean spray on my face. I want to sit in a country church once more and thank GOD for HIS Grace and HIS goodness. I want to do this every morning...a great while before day....

I want peanut butter every day spread on my morning toast. I want un-timed long distance calls to the folks I love the most.


I haven't cried at all the movies yet, or walked in the morning rain. I need to feel wind on my face. I want to be in love again.


So, if I choose to have dessert, instead of having dinner, then should I die before night fall, I'd say I died a winner, because I missed out on nothing. I filled my heart's desire. I had that final chocolate mousse before my life expired.."

With that, I called the waitress over.. "I've changed my mind, " I said. "I want what he is having, only add some more whipped cream!"

This is my gift to you - We need an annual Friends Day! If you get this twice, then you have more than one friend. Live well, love much & laugh often - Be happy.

SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS including me if I'm lucky enough to be counted among them.

Be mindful that happiness isn't based on possessions, power, or prestige, but on relationships with people we like and respect. Remember that while money talks, CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM SINGS!

The Savior_Jesus_Christ

One of my favorite subjects is the Savior Jesus Christ. He fascinates me. Men and Women have lived on this earth for a long time, but he is the most influential man that has ever lived. It’s kind of a crazy, but either people say Yes, I definitively believe he is the Savior of all mankind or No, he’s not. This is a black and white question.

Of course there are always people who are deciding if they believe in him and if so how much. And then there are always people who are changing their minds about whether they believe in him or not. And some of us “believe” in varying degrees at various times of our lives as our testimonies of him change. But no matter what, the question comes into our lives and we, alone, must answer it.

What is the question? Mostly I’ve heard it asked as: “Do you believe that the man called Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, who has been written about in the Bible, The Book of Mormon and various other books of Religion is the Savior of this world or not? And if you believe that he is, what does that mean to you and what do you do about it? And if you don’t, what does that mean to you and what do you do about it?

I choose to believe that he is the Savior of this world. I choose to believe that he really has done all that has been recorded about him, and he can do all that he claims he can do. He is definitely someone that is worth studying and learning about.

When my children were little I made a tole painting of him and his birth. I put it on my table during the holidays and use it as a centerpiece at various church functions. With the passing of time, I don’t tole paint any more. I write. But I moved across the street from a wonderful artist named Willa Cahill. In exchange for teaching her daughters piano, she has agreed to paint for me. She is creating and painting the table centerpieces for me. I want to give one to each of my five children this Christmas.

Here is a picture of Willa as she begins this project with me. Yes, we’ll be selling these center pieces, if we can make them cost effective and No, I don’t know yet what that will be. Right now I wanted you to see the project and I am hoping for feedback from you.

The perfect day at Joe_ Albi_ Stadium.

It all began after we entered the stadium. There were vendors with yummy food. And the most cordial people everywhere to help you find your seat. All that and perfect weather, in the upper 70’s with a light breeze. Truly a day when the God’s were smiling.

This was the first outdoor football game played by the Spokane Shock. They are an Arena Football team and their games are usually played in the Spokane Arena, an enclosed structure with a roof over the top. They play on a 50 yard football field with walls on the sides of the playing area. It was the Spokane Shock vs the Utah Blaze. And it was an historical event. Not only did the field get transformed to make it look the same as the Spokane Arena (the same length, width, markings, and indoor turf all in the middle of a bigger setting, which means that the draw is that the action always takes place in the center of the field. But the Shock won 76 to 49 and a new attendance record was set with 16,233 fans! http://www.spokaneshock.com/

A couple of times the football player carrying the ball ran into the boundary walls and bounced off into the field. All I could think was Ouch! But, I admired the player, because if even if the field parameters had changed they played with full commitment, no holds barred. Double Ouch!

As a viewer, a non sports oriented person, I enjoyed the event. The Rockstar dance team members were cute and they put on a really good show….I’m sure if I put in a couple more hours of work at my gym this week, I could get myself looking at least as good as they do. Hmmmmm, well, maybe not. But they were inspirational.

So not only did I enjoy the new venue, the weather, the shows, now I’m looking forward to another day at Joe Albi with my sweetie. Now could something be done to make the entry and exit to this stadium more accessible?

Date_ Night Joe_ Albi_ Stadium

Tomorrow I get to go to Joe Albi Stadium with my sweetie and watch a ball game. What ball game? It’s the Spokane Shock Outdoor Summer Classic. Do I know anything about who is playing and why this is an important game? Well, sort of. Spokane is playing Vancouver, Canada. Do I know what kind of ball game it is? No, Not really. I go just because I get to spend time with my Sweetie and he really loves games. Baseball, Football, Golf, you name it. If someone is playing he is watching the game….for hours!

Me? I read books, watch the grass grow, play music and write. Sometimes, he explains to me, in terms that I can understand, what is going on….

Maybe this is a man/ woman thing…But maybe not. I know plenty of women who are sports enthusiasts. So it’s got to be an East Coast/ West Coast thing. But that can’t be true either. There are plenty of sports played on the East Coast and a great deal of sports enthusiastic men and women on both coasts.

So that means it’s a Bill and Gloria thing. He likes sports. I like him…So I go to be with him at his sporting events….This Saturday is one of those days. I hope we have good weather.