A Fabulous Honor

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I have been given a great honor by a gal who has become a friend. Her name is Jill, and I’ll tell you more about her in a bit.

I had to read her posting three times before I could believe it, but her blog is Jill’s Believe It Or Not. Please understand that the picture on the badge doesn’t look a bit like me — not even a little bit. Well I do have two arms and two legs, a torso, neck and head, but that’s as far as it goes.

The rules are simple. Name five things to which I am addicted. And five Blogs that I think are fabulous.

My Five Addictions:

Family

That starts with my wife of 47 years, Sylvia. She is the center of my world. I think I got in trouble last night, when I told her, “You are just like a bad habit. I couldn’t drop you if I wanted to. And I don’t!” She gave me “the look” until we both dissolved in laughter. She taught me that I have to be comfortable in my own skin before I can build a strong relationship with another person.

Then come our two sons, Bryant and Scott. Scott, the younger, is retired after 21 years in the US Air Force. He explained what he did with these words, “I can tell you exactly what I do Dad, but then I’d have to kill you.” (Do you wonder where he gets that sense of humor?) Sunday evenings I call Scott and we talk on the phone for an hour, and it’s not unusual for us to go for more than three hours. Most weeks we see Bryant at lunch in Grand Rapids. We spend about an hour together catching up on family news and enjoying being together.

Bryant’s wife, Barbara, and daughter, Briana, are frequent topics of our conversations and join us when they can. We love being with them.


Observing Life and Solitary Time

I think it started when I was a youngster. As part of WWII pilot training, my dad had studied weather. We used to go out and watch weather fronts as they moved in. It was fun! Later, I took notice of other things in the sky. The position and changes in the sun, moon and stars. Yet later, it became interesting to watch people and the things they do and say.



It takes time to think about things. I like being creative, and that requires time without distraction. Time alone is like silver and gem stones. Okay, being with family is like gold and diamonds.


Words

I am addicted to words and their usage. That’s why I write haikus and love to blog.


My Toys

These last two came after a discussion with Sylvia. I am addicted to my computers (there are many), radios (not quite as many) and my tractor. Sylvia calls my John Deere a toy, but to me it’s one of the most useful tools I have.


Food

This again came from Sylvia (see my top-most addiction). Her logic? You need it to live. Right? I’ve learned not to argue with a woman — especially if I’m married to her. She also hastened to observe that my favorite food is pernil (garlic roasted pork). Right she is! The picture (above) is of pernil Ecuadorian style. Also on the plate are: potatoes, onion, tomato, parsley, ripe (yellow) plantain, and salsa. Yum. Yum.

Five Fabulous Blogs

Here are my Fab Five:

Clara @ Coming Back to Life — She’s my sister and has helped me get this blog going and to get it known. She’s a real “what you see is what you get” kind of person. Honest, open and, like her brother, just a bit “nerdy.” Gotta love her!

Mikki @ Here’s What Let’s do Next — She’s Clara’s daughter and I enjoy reading about her life and family. She has fought a battle with celiac disease and has been sharing that story. (Makes me glad that my only food allergy is to chicken and turkey.) She’s a bit whacky — wonder where that comes from?

Jill @ Jill’s Believe It Or Not — This gal is very creative and has a wonderful sense of humor. I love reading about and seeing photos of her two charming daughters, Alexa and Gianna. She also has good taste in music.

Ida @ Losing Myself — Ida relates her personal experiences and gives some good advice for folks trying to lose weight. (I’m sure it would be very helpful if I’d only follow it.) Interestingly, she is in a Southern Baptist church. I remember when we moved to Connecticut. I prayed, “Oh Lord, help us find a good church. Please don’t let it be a Southern Baptist Church.” Most of you are wise enough to know that I did the wrong thing. We spent 20 years in Southern Baptist churches (mostly Hispanic). I knew I’d like Ida. She’s another good friend.

The Humor Smith Chronicle — This guy is hilarious! I’m still laughing from his last post when the next one appears. Perhaps I enjoy this so much because I have a certain twist in my personality. Where did you get that picture for “Sway Back?” That’s too good.

There they are. My Fab Five. Thank Jill. Sorry this post is so long, but I had to put all those pictures in. I learned that from Jill. It’s all her fault. 😉

This entry was posted in Award, Blogs, Family by Chuck. Bookmark the permalink.

About Chuck

I am retired after a career in electronics and in publishing. Today, my wife of 50+ years, Sylvia, and I live in a house on a hill beside a dirt road in rural west Michigan. We enjoy living in this country environment where livestock and wild life out number the human population.

6 thoughts on “A Fabulous Honor”

  1. Thanks for call me, um, my blog fabulous. Actually, calling me wysiwyg was cool. That’s pretty much how I describe myself. I’ve posted it and passed it on.

  2. Thank you for your kind words. Being a Southern Baptist isn’t so bad…One of the men I work with asked me if my husband really made all the decisions, I told him my husband puts it this way. “The husband is supposed to make all the important decisions, and as soon as one come up, he’s ready to make it.” Thanks again

  3. Hi Chuck! This is Jill’s sister, Justine. The mean one. The crude one. The one who LOVES making fun of all things Jill! Okay, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way and you’re already put off by me, I’ll say, “Come by my blog! Sit back, have some coffee and join me in the fun!”

    Jill speaks so highly of you, and told me I HAD to come visit you and say hello. Well, that was easy enough. It was wonderful to hear about your addictions, because each one is beautiful. You should have seen my post on my worst addictions. Umm… totally went a different way than you did!

    Welcome to blogland, and may you stay long and prosper!

    Justine 😮 )

  4. This was a pleasure to read…sincere and straightforward. We should all be so lucky to suffer from such “healthy and loving” addictions. Thank you for sharing this. I really enjoyed your blog and hope to return.

  5. Chuck, thanks so much for the recommendation.

    The pic you mention is Lee Marvin in his Oscar winning role as Kid Sheleen from “Cat Ballou”.

    It was a perfect match to the news story and I couldn’t resist.

    Thanks again for the kindness. I enjoy reading you as well. You almost restore my faith in humanity. 🙂

  6. Chuck, you did a great job! Thanks for putting a smile on my face so early in the morning! Trying to get my 7 year old off to school! You need to have your wife take pics of you on your tractor. This weekend my daughter is being sponsored by her doctor and we are going to the Orlando Ballet. My daughter got to pick who she wanted to come with her so she picked my mom and dad! My dad was so touched! My husband gets to stay home with my little one while we go out and have fun!!!!!
    You did a great job and now I know more about you!
    Jill 🙂

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