And just like that.

We drove away from the truck we’ve had for 17 years.  In the bright, shiny new Jeep.



Our departure was abrupt.  And I now feel the need to wax reminiscent.  We bought the truck a year before the Teen was born.  It was the vehicle we brought him home from the hospital in; strapped his little infant seat right into the front, and for the next year, he rode in the middle, right between Big Dude and I.



(what’s that you say?  you can’t see the baby in the seat?  he was kinda tiny.  and Big Dude kinda looked like a baby himself.  behold…)




But back to the truck … It got its first big dent not long after we bought it.  Big Dude took it to an offroad park with several 4wd-ing co-workers.  He drove right over a tree stump hidden by bushes.  We later put black ink on our teeny-tiny, darling baby’s feet and pressed them right into the dent.  The ink feet … amused us … and remained visible for about a decade, even through all the washings!



The impetus for buying such a big truck was to pull our boat.  Which it did, faithfully.  It also hauled junk to the dump, helped numerous friends to move, brought landscaping materials to our new home, carried us and our stuff and our dogs on about a gazillion road trips, and has been the only “tent” I’ve camped in since we bought it.



Speaking of camping, I spent the coldest, longest night of my life [not sleeping] in the back of the truck a couple years ago in Joshua Tree.  It wasn’t the truck’s fault.  We had neglected to bring our down comforter. 



So this is my official goodbye.  It’s a bit less abrupt than our car dealership departure.  Goodbye, Truck.  You’ve been very good to us.

I don't like to exercise.

But, sometimes I do it anyway.

What we do.

Not to be confused with "What I Don't Do". This is a "we" -- as in we Kellers -- list. And it's what we do do...

Drive 200 miles roundtrip for pie. (see evidence here)

Bring Dog Dude with us on most of our adventures.

Like each other (ok. The Teen might argue this. But it's the truth, I swear!)

Laugh together at Big Dude's witty one-liners.

Read voraciously. (I like a variety. The Teen likes dystopian Sci-Fi. Middle Dude likes fantasy. Littlest Dude likes anything sweet & silly. Big Dude generally likes the one or two books per year that we tell him he HAS to read.)

Splurge on fun snacks. (tho, this time we found the price tag a little shocking!)

Get lost, if I'm the one in charge of directions. (thus, we missed the "golden hour" I wanted in the field, because I chose the wrong direction. oy.)

Totally appreciate Leslie and her sweet family for coming along with us on our mini-roadtrip and taking such lovely pictures of us!!

What I Don't Do ...

Though no one really questions whether I "do it all" (especially not Big Dude or my boys - snort!), I thought it would be fun to compile a list of a few of the things I choose not to do, after reading a few fun posts with such lists (notably Tracey's and Michelle's).

I Don't ...

Wear make-up.

Drink alcohol. I've never developed an appreciation for the taste.

Read many non-fiction books. I just prefer fiction.

Eat vegetables. Don't like 'em.

Or meat. Don't like it, either. (except for hamburger & chicken. I know. weird.)

Take the wheel on our Keller Family Roadtrips. Big Dude can't relax while I drive and I have no problem relaxing/reading/sleeping while he drives. So it's all good. ;-)

Dust diligently.

Like change.

Walk the dog regularly.

Watch the "news" or read newspapers or magazines.

Keep my desk tidy. Tho, I wish I did.

Make my bed daily.

Go to the grocery store if I can find what I need at Trader Joe's or Costco.

Go to the movies, either.

Talk a lot.

Move quickly first thing in the morning.

Watch serial tv dramas. (it would drive Big Dude bonkers)

Add those gross flavored "creamers" to my coffee. Just sugar (lots of it) & milk, thankyouverymuch.

Camp. Don't like the bugs or dirt or discomfort.

Wear heels (or get dressed up in general); flip-flops and slippers are more my "flavor".

My lovely friend Leslie took pictures of me and my family last month. I promise to share more once I make my way thru all the awesomeness and pull together a post!

I think "I Don't" lists can probably tell you as much about a person as their "I Do" lists :-). Feel free to tell me some of your "I Don'ts" in the comments :-).

Photo Challenge: Friendships

It's awfully nice when friendships from the internets become friendships in real life. I think you all might recognize one or two of these cute chicks ... ;-)

My Dad.

He's the kind of dad that when it's his birthday (and it was), takes us out for dinner.



And what a dinner it was! I think I counted 29 plates for just the four of us. :-) We needed a little walk after all that food. And a self-portrait (of course). I think this is the most people I've fit into a hand-held-selfie (you really have to like the people you're with to make this work - grin).





Thanks for dinner, Dad. And for sticking around for 78 years. Let's go back to The Studio for your 80th, 'kay? And maybe your 85th & 90th - it'll be great; they'll make sure you're comfy with a pillow for your back ... and a stool for your feet ... and I'm pretty sure they'll still give your olives to Mom. ;-)

Grammy.

I feel like I've been saying painful "goodbyes" to my Grammy for the past several years. Dementia (Alzheimer's?) is a cruel beast. But yesterday, with family and friends, I said a much-less painful goodbye as we all celebrated the wonder that was my Grammy...



If I had photographs in my hands of some of the memories in my head, these are the pictures I’d have of Grammy:

Sharing my bedroom with her whenever she visited; listening to late night stories of the “Get-Hot-Stay-Hot Girls” and their adventures on Catalina Island.

Collecting shells on the beach and collecting the prettiest rocks from the River to add to our “rock garden” behind the wash house.

Going out on the boat waterskiing in the morning & evening with Papa as the driver/instructor and Grammy as the cheerleader/flag-holder.

Swinging from the dock ramp in the River to cool herself off, before heading back to her homemade mesh deck chair in the shade with crazy flies everywhere, drinking beer in a can surrounded by styrofome insulation, talking and laughing with everyone, playing backgammon.

Sleeping under the beautiful quilt that Grammy made me from scraps of material she’d saved from all the clothing she sewed for me over the years.

Hair blowing everywhere as we drive back from Havasu in the Hornet with the windows rolled down (y’know, A/C against those 100+ degree days) and the coolers filled with food we’d bargain shopped & couponed for from 3 different stores.

Making dozens of batches of chocolate chip cookies with her, and still not being able to duplicate exactly the same yummy taste. Everyone always accused her of holding back a secret ingredient. I think it was just her love.

Watching Wheel of Fortune each night, always trying to beat her to solving the puzzle, which was, of course, nearly impossible. Grammy was a gaming, puzzling fiend. Agonizing & whining while tv wasted time with contestants spending their winnings on such treasures as the ceramic Dalmatian.

Getting up early to clean trailers in the cool of the day (y’know 98* instead of 112*). Hanging the sheets to dry on the line, knowing it wouldn’t take too long, and dreading putting back together those horrid bunkbeds.

Watching Grammy suck-up ceiling spiders and their ever-present webs with her hand-held vacuum.

Eating homemade cherry pie while calling Mom and saying “Mmmmm…..” So cruel.

Walking to Macs Market in the evening, knowing Grammy would probably spring for a popsicle.

Lingering over the breakfast table. Picking a coffee mug from the wall rack. Knowing someone in the park would always drop by and grab a mug and join us for a while. Grammy’s hospitality knew no bounds.

Playing cards morning, noon & late night. All manner of cards: Fish, Kings in the Corner, Gin Rummy, Rummy 500, Garbage, Spite and Malice, Hearts, Spades, Canasta … Knowing I would likely lose. Being careful NOT to sit in front of the mirror or the reflective window. Not that Grammy would cheat, mind you. But DJ might. ;-)

Crafts, crafts and more crafts. (which is funny, because I don’t really like crafts now. But I surely loved them then). Cross stitching, fancy yarn hangers, yarn potholders & placemats, hook rugs, yarn chairs (we went thru a LOT of yarn …), painted t-shirts…

Bingo over at B&B. In the days before they cracked down on minors “gambling”. Oh, those penny stakes …

Papa daily making Xerox copies of the crossword puzzles, because he and Grammy both needed their own.

Food. Always the FOOD. Food to feed armies. Spaghetti, chicken tortilla casserole, lasagna, enchiladas, green salad with Papa’s special dressing, cherry pie, jello-poke cakes, orange rolls …

Grammy always present for all the biggie events: all the graduations, weddings, great-grandbabies’ arrivals… Gosh, I feel like an era's come to an end. I miss her.

Reading. Laughter. And ...

a remote shutter release :-).



You can tell the frames in which Littlest Dude was controlling the shutter by his huge smile while he looks right. at. the. camera. ;-)



Some dear friends blessed me with this nifty gift for my birthday. It's taking some mental gymnastics for me to re-arrange my thinking regarding self-portraits. I've been shooting myself at arms-length for so long that I forget I can put myself in the picture in other ways.

So my tip of the week: buy yourself a cheapie remote shutter. And get in the picture. It's fun, easy, and you'll thank yourself in the future. :-)