Farewell old friend....

Farewell old friend....

Sunday afternoon I walked out on the patio to find Angie cradling our dog, Ginger's head in her lap with tears streaming down her face and gently stroking her back...I knew that our old friend & companion had passed away as she had been slowing way down and not eating very well for about a week.

Mike & Elaine gave Ginger to us as a 8-week old puppy almost 14 years ago...we figure that makes her about 95 yrs old in dog years. She was a mix of german short-hair and springer spaniel.

We have good memories of throwing balls and having her jump several feet into the air to catch them and helping the mom feel safe when the dad was out of town for work or scout outings....the dad enjoyed the 'daily visit' and loved the fact that she would always come running to greet him (and jump on him) every time he opened the back door...(he would sometimes make that visit even before he checked to see if the mom was home...)

We have not so good, never-the-less endearing, memories of digging holes all over the yard, chewing up dripper lines, newly planted apple trees, and anything else that was left outside...(including the dad's book on "How to Train your Dog"....) She would endlessly try to 'escape' whenever one of the back gates would open which she did up until a week before she died...

...the mom affectionately called her 'the dumb dog' but at the end of the day, she was a pretty good old dog...
Ginger, we will miss you and remember....
...All Dogs go to Heaven...hope to see you there...

Kevin & DaNelle agreed to allow us to bury Ginger in the NE back forty on their 'farm'...thanks to them we feel her resting place is with friends...

Ethan says goodby...

...Lydia is a good helper...

...so long, old friend...

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I love the Stradlings!

I love the Stradlings!

    Our beautiful daughter-in-law, Becky is the daughter of Virginia & Melvin Stradling. Since we met the Stradlings as Todd & Becky were planning their marriage in November 2001, we have grown to love & admire them more and more each time we come in contact with them. It is easy to see why Becky (aptly named: Rebecca Delight) is such a sweet & delightful addition to our family.

Recently our good friend & mother, Virginia, passed away after an 8-month battle with lung cancer. Throughout her illness, the Stradling family demonstrated the same faith and gratitude for all their blessings as they have always done in their lives. Even at her funeral, Melvin & all their children were expressing gratitude to everyone else for any little thoughtfulness or service that might have been rendered to them.

Often times through the years, we would meet some mutual acquaintance who shared our same opinion of what wonderful friend and examples the Stradlings were to them. They have served faithfully in many leadership callings with Virginia serving as Relief Society President at least 3 times and wife & supporter to Melvin as he served as Bishop.

We will miss the personal contact of Virginia and hope to live our lives in a way that will enable us to resume our relationship with her & her family when we are reunited on the other side of the veil.

Becky with her Dad & Mom at her reception Nov. 2001.

2009-10...the year of the houses...

2009-10...the year of the houses...

Angie made the big move (5 mi) with mom & dad

from Gilbert to Mesa...

Rusty bought Kevin & DaNelle's house

on Hopi in Mesa...

Dayla bought (just closed today) a cute little house

in Provo, Utah...

Kevin & DaNelle bought a home (more like a farm)

on Mesquite in Gilbert...

Todd & Becky still in Queencreek thinking about it...

closer to us we hope...

Update: bought a home on Dolphin in Mesa...yea!!!

Mom & Dad jumped on the bandwagon and bought another house on Monte in Mesa...

hey...shouldn't you sell before you buy...???

This is a pic of the newly-painted house on Monte in Mesa & front courtyard in progress...

Well...Dave & I opted to downsize to a much smaller yard and aslightly smaller home this year...we decided that we wanted to spend more time doing 'funner' things than pulling weeds and mowing the lawn every weekend.

Living closer to lots & lots of stores and restaurants has it's advantages but Grandpa Dave just doesn't see it that way...except, of course, Home Depot. Even that is quickly losing it's charm since there seems to be never-ending 'projects' that GramScilla finds behind every corner...

So...thus far we haven't found the 'funner' things to do but I'm sure there is a light at the end of a very long tunnel. We still have a (smaller) pool...another project...and an extra bed or two so we would love to have any guests stay over-night once in a while. Of course, the 'WiseCuts' machine is still alive & kickin' (hee) so bring your quotes and sayings when you come...
For those of you who saw the original...here are a few updates:

the entry...

Let Heaven & Nature Sing...

GramScilla's Kitchen...kids spoiled while you wait...

Gather...Laugh...Enjoy

stone fireplace...

...a fun wall...

Rain, rain, and more rain...

I never thought I would reach the point where I wanted it to stop raining...at least not in Arizona!
Our yard is covered with a fine layer of green moss and not where there is grass planted or where our garden is supposed to be...
I guess I really don't want it to stop raining...I just want the mud to go away...

...cats & dogs.....living together...

Remember that phrase from the movie "Ghostbusters"?


I just had to show this pic...if they can overcome their natural instincts why is it so hard to for us to overcome the 'natural man' in us...???

"I got you, Babe!"

"I got you, Babe!"

Yeah...that's us....Sonny (Dave) and Cher (Priscilla)...
This was a (not so) talent show we hosted 4 yrs. ago-
I'm posting this because it depicts pretty much what brought us together in 1975...

- music and Dave hamming it up -

(and I know you all want to see Sonny and Cher @ 50+)

I took our pre-wedding pics to the cabin so you'll have to wait until I go get them and scan them to my computer to get the 'real' picture of the "goin' courtin'" time... (something to really look forward to...)

...the latest of the greatest...

...the latest of the greatest...

Here we are at Christmas time 2009...

...so normal...

and 3 seconds later...

5:09 PM

Just Do It!

OK...so it's been a month since DaNelle helped me set up this blog and I haven't entered one event! So....I'm repenting and hope my resolve is strong enough to carry on....and on....and on....
I've been trying to figure out how to add and edit pics but I've decided to just start writing and worry about additions as I can get someone to help me....the learning curve continues....

I probably should turn off the TV when I'm blogging but in my never-ending efforts to multi-task I will currently settle on watching "Law and Order" and "Bonanza" re-runs while I blog.

My goal in having a blog is to share with my family and loved ones past and future experiences that have enhanced and changed my 'cherished life'.....thus the title of my blog: "GramScilla's Cherished Life".... (this is not to intimate that my life was or is trial-free...but that I cherish it none-the-less for being what it is...)

I hope to eventually include most (or at least some) of the important events in my life thus far as I recall them...however few and far between that may be. I also hope to include various events that happen with and to my family as they are the foremost important happenings in my life.

Another important inclusion will be thoughts and experiences that have influenced my testimony of the restored gospel - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am eternally grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father, the atonement of his son, Jesus Christ, and the many opportunities all have provided for my growth and enjoyment while I have been on this earth...I can't remember further back than that but I'm thankful for the Plan of Salvation that allows us all the agency to be here and make choices that will further our development or take a more destructive turn...it's all up to us...

Here's hoping for the best....for you and for me...GramScilla signing off for now...