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[gofarwithjennifer-deactivated20]

10 Years

The other day Emily reminded me that summer 2015 marks 10 years since our 2005 European backpacking trip.

On Fourth of July 10 years ago we decided to get watermelon outside a train station in Rome to celebrate. We’d been in Paris and the South of France and were headed to Greece.

I have so many delicious memories of this trip.

For a taste of Paris this summer, I’m reading Balzac.

[raycgar]

Getting caught up on Tumblr. This one hits the mark!

[raycgar]

Graduation weekend at VCHS. So proud of this girl and certain she's got an amazing journey ahead. #picstitch #graduation #VCHornets #UP&away

[raycgar]

The mighty sycamore just outside of Memorial Stadium. #Jayhawks

[raycgar]

Who says you can't find a little class around here? #Kronenbourg #TheMonarch #TheMonarchWichita #bière #Alsace

[chancecalloway]

Victims of police brutality… Art by Ashley A. Woods.

This is my submission for the APB - Artists Against Police Brutality book - with John Jennings and Bill Campbell. Please take the time to read about the victims in the subsequent posts.

[raycgar]

Rippling stream at Troublesome Creek. A great calmness.

[raycgar]

Elle vient à Seattle! #Yelle (at Space Needle)

[3rdheart]

Fred Rogers Acceptance Speech - 1997

[sandvichette]

Our neighbor didn’t die, he was just needed someplace else.

[murphmanfa]

He took a moment that was about recognizing him and turned it into a moment to recognize everyone who was there and everyone who made it possible for him to do what he does. If you want a perfect example of why he is so fondly remembered and such a great person, it’s tough to find a better one than this.

[ouraeroplaneoverthesea]

I cry hard at this speech.

[raycgar]

#Shockers control from opening tip. Carter to Baker. #PlayAngry #ShockerNation #WichitaState #WSU #GoShocks

[raycgar]

The best reward for working late #KansasSunsets #KansasPhotos

[raycgar]

After 10+ hours of trade show finished work in time to see the sun setting over the Atlantic. #LaRochelle #SalonAtlantica #whatupamerica #oldworldviews #newworlddreams #simplepleasures

[raycgar]

A look at the Atlantic Océan this evening from the WEST coast! #LaRochelle #SalonAtlantica (at Plage De La Rochelle)

[raycgar]

[raycgar]

Brasilian made sports shoes - very colorful. Anyone seen these in the US?

[raycgar]

I likes @stewcare 'a sunrise photo so much this morning that I decided to post my own #Chartres #SalonVert

[raycgar]

For about the past month, this morning glory has greeted me as I headed out the front door of the house on my way to work. It was a volunteer, from seeds my daughter planted last year in a little hanging basket.  Today may be the last day to see it, as the weather is taking a sharp turn tonight toward fall and the first frost.

Aless will probably be leaving Valley Center before any volunteers reach this stage next year.  I'm not anxious for summer to end, nor for my daughter to fly away. 

I'm not aging gracefully at all.  My heart is cracking and breaking off into little pieces.  An old friend told me yesterday it is because I've spent too much time at my job, and that my spirit would rekindle if I take the leap into something new and fresh.  I'm not sure how I'll do that or what is waiting for me out there. 

Here's a song for my little morning glory which pays tribute to it and the fine singer who wrote the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OvpS9Bc4oM

[raycgar]

There are days like today - very few days - where I take a slow pace on getting things done and today I may have spent up to 4 hours in front of the TV. How does it feel? Kind of empty. Pulling a few weeds, cleaning the grill, hanging clothes, treating borers on a few fruit trees, fixing beef stroganoff and banana cake. If this is a glimpse of retirement, I won't make it. I think what really vacuumed the joie de vivre out of the day was doing all this alone. I began thinking of mom and all her days alone, and all the widows, widowers and those living alone and wondered how they manage. It's no wonder so many people check out when they retire. We are all supposed to be about 'loving one another' and we should be capable of laughing to the end with friends but for whatever reason it doesn't turn out that way.