"Shared Memories at Christmas"

Christmas is for reflecting on the memories of the heart,
As we take each one out and examine ever part,
From the precious, to the cute, and the looks so serene,
To those special one timers that created quite a scene.
Memories take pictures of the blessing that we share,
As we wish you "Merry Christmas" and a Happy New Year!!!
By Janey Loree Fisher

Hearst Castle - Tour 2

Well, I toured Hearst Castle the day before Thanksgiving! After TnT (my sons, Travis and Tony) got off work Wednesday morning at 6am, we headed over to the coast. Listening to "Willey's Place" on XM Radio 5 and 50's music all the way over added to the fun day! TnT sang along with every single song. Songs like Ned Miller's "From a Jack to A Queen", Faron Young's "Alone With You", Johnny Cash's " Folsom Prison Blues", Asleep at the Wheel's "Bob Will is Still the King", Paul Anka's "Puppy Love", were just a few of the songs we heard on our 2 1/2 hour drive to San Simeon, CA. I usually sing along, but today I was drinking in the scenes, sounds, and the fact that I had a day of being with my two sons! There was one old cowboy song I never had the pleasure of hearing and that was Tex Ritter's "Just Beyond the Moon".
As Eddy Arnold was singing "Cattle Call", we drove right past the ranch where TnT recently did some "day riding". They told me which fences they had mended, where they drove the cattle from one pasture to the next or up to the ranch house. We drove by "Rancho No Gotto" and a sign that stated "farm eggs" were for sell and saw several dear grazing in the fields along the highway.

We arrived at the visitors center about an hour before our tour bus would leave to amble up the hill to the castle. When Trav picked up our reservation tickets, he found out that there was room on an earlier tour, so we cut looking through the gift shop and museum short to start Tour 2 that included 404 steps!

As we rode in the back of the bus, a piped in tour guide told us the interesting facts about the ranch land that we were driving through. At a time in the past we would have seen the exotic animals that William Randolph Hearst imported to his ranch. He didn't inherit the ranch until he was 56 years old and along with Julia Morgan, the first women architect to enter and graduate from Ecole Nationale et Speciale des Beaux-Arts in Paris, completed the "house" that six-year-old William had dreamed would sit at the top of the mountain where his family would camp to get above the fog line. TnT added that we were going through the weanling pasture.

The tour of the castle's upper bedrooms, ceilings, library, home office, kitchen, and pools took 70 minutes. As we walked through on the designated blue carpet runners, we were able to look into the past of an American Newspaper mogul's life during the roaring 20's!

After the tour, I asked TnT what was their favorite piece of furniture and they both replied that it was the twin writing desks (of which my pictures were blurred...grrr!) that were in the living room outside the Doge's bedroom! I have to agree with them, the desks were ornately carved and had a romantic sounding name that only the tour guide could pronounce. The name meant "writing among the little images". The desk was tall enough to stand at and write! Their favorite room besides the library and home office was accessed by a flight of curved, carved stairs up to the loft bedroom. Mine was the bell tower bedroom that was ornately clad in gold. It was refered to it as "sleeping in a musical jewelry box"! Oh, and we loved the teak wood carvings that ran along under the eaves of the castle!

OH! We saw about 8 head of zebra on the Hearst Ranch as we headed down Highway 1 to Cambria were we grabbed something small to eat, because we were going to meet my brother at "Pier Side" in Pismo Beach. In Cambria, we browsed an old antique store and then headed to Pismo, because Tony had heard there was a shoppe that had a lot of "John Deere" items for sell. We noticed that the waves were larger up the coast at San Simeon.

In Pismo we had an hour to wait for my brother, so we ended up bowling. Well, Travis and Tony did, I didn't think that it was such a good idea with the rods in my back! I wanted to though...really bad...I used to love to bowl. I was doing really good after all the steps that we climbed in the Castle, and I didn't want to press my luck!

My brother called as he passed the bowling alley and we met him down at Pier Side. We were taken upstairs (more steps!) to sit at a table that looked out at the ocean along side the pier! I ordered their famous clam chowder in a bread bowl, while TnT ordered cheeseburgers and garlic fries and my brother ordered their Shrimp Louie Salad with bleu cheese! We enjoyed the view, the company and the food until it was time to head home.

We had two more hours of driving to get home, while listening to the Capris sing "Morse Code of Love" and Percy Faith conduct "A Summer Place" on the XM Radio, feed the horses, check on Katy and the puppies, tell my parents about our day, watch "Cars" again, this time with my brother, and finally drop into bed! What a wonderful day with my family. Chock full of memories to store!!!

Good bye, Sugar Bear...

November 13, 2006 - November 16, 2006

I write this post with heavy heart. Sugar Bear passed away tonight. She was going down hill all day and spent most of it in my hand next to my heart. I held her, caressed her, and tried to stimulate her as she was drawing her last breath. As she was being buried, these words formed in my mind to voice what I felt in my heart:

I didn't give up hope until hope was gone...
And can't help but wonder..."What did I do wrong"?
As I shed many, many a tear,
For the one I had grown to love as Sugar Bear.

Good bye, Sugar Bear...

"Lets Say Thanks In support of our troops"

UPDATE: I have received several comments that I have passed on to the Let's Say Thanks people. Please follow the link to the "Let's Say Thanks" website to create your postcard!

A friend of mine sent this special message to me. On the "Let's Say Thanks.com" website it is stated that XEROX is supporting a program to send postcards to our troops thanking them for their sacrifices. The postcards are designs submitted by our young children across America, and pre-written or personalized messages are printed and sent to our troops. My favorite is this postcard by 12 year old Erika. She lives in Anderson, IN and pictures a representative from the Air Force, Army, Marine, and the Navy! "Let's Say Thanks.com" is a vehicle to carry our thoughts and prayers to the men and women of the armed forces that are working hard to keep American the land of the free and the home of the brave!!!
My message to our troops: "Thank you for remembering 9/11 and for doing something about it!"

"The Final Inspection"

The Final Inspection

The soldier stood and faced God, which must always come to pass.

He hoped his shoes were shining, just as brightly as his brass.

Step forward now, you soldier, how shall I deal with you?

Have you always turned the other cheek? To my church have you been true?

The soldier squared his shoulders and said, no Lord, I guess I ain't.

Because those of us who carry guns, can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays, at times my talk was tough.

And sometimes I've been violent, because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny, that wasn't mine to keep.

Though I worked over time, when the bills just got too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear.

And sometimes God, forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place, among the people here.

They never wanted me around, except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Lord, it needn't be so grand.

I never expected or had to much, but if you don't I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne, where the saints had often trod,

As the soldier waited quietly, for the judgement of his God.

Step forward now, you soldier, you've borne your burdens well.

Walk peacefully on heaven's streets, you've done your time in hell.

This poem was written by Sgt. Joshua Helterbran of the 224th Engineer Battalion. It was recited from memory to me by my son, Anthony Wayne. He found this poem in the prison newspaper where he and his brother, Travis Lee are correction officers.

Note:

(After two years of searching for the author of this amazing poem, there was contact with the soldier's mother. The writer granted permission to continue displaying his work that has touched so many hearts and souls.)

After searching the web for more information on poem, I found a second part!

Today's Clean Laugh from Crosswalk.com

*EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH*

Chuck Rogers, a self employed marketing consultant, has won his company's 'Employee of the Month Award' for a record 23 months in a row. Said Rogers, "I began the award program nearly two years ago when my psychologist and business coach suggested that I needed to create a company plan for maintaining employee moral and building self-esteem."

Rogers, who works alone from his home office, has received 100% of the votes for the 'Employee of the Month Award' since its inception. Said Rogers, "It feels really good every time I win the award. I am always surprised and flattered when the winner is announced. But the best part is that I get to use the special parking spot set aside for the winner. It is right next to the house. You can't imagine what a benefit that has been!" excerpt from "You Make Me Laugh" newsletter from Crosswalk.com

Notes That Touch The Heart poem...

Notes that touch the heart
Are meant to be set apart,
To find a way to remind,
So that we don't get too blind,
To the hearfelt notes from music and life,
That if cherished soften the strife,
Along with memories from the past,
Written down here so that they will last.
Written by Janey Loree Fisher - November 2, 2006
Copyright 2006