going greek

Has anyone ever been to one of these?

As I was driving today, I saw an advertisement for this Greek Festival on the back of a bus. Did it make me want to go? You bet. Anything dealing with Greece and gyros has to be good. Kent is almost as ecstatic as I am about it.

Looking forward to Labor Day Weekend.

pest control amateurs

This evening, we are going to try to get rid of this guy:

(Actual gopher not pictured)

Kent and I have no experience with gophers whatsoever, and hurting him isn't ideal, but he's destroying our backyard. We just don't appreciate the mounds of dirt that pop up every other day on our lawn.

The method we're going to try:

Drown him out of his hole and bop him on the head with a shovel when he comes out of another burrow. We found this wonderful information on the world wide web. If you have any other advice, less violent perhaps, we would love to hear it.

Poor little guy. His time has come.

back to school

As I stepped onto Long Beach City College campus today, I was instantly reminded how much I love school. Maybe not at first due to a quiet quad area (was everyone on Furlough Friday?), but as I rounded a building, I found booths set up and friendly advisers here and there to help prospective students find their way around. It made me so happy and excited to learn.

This college experience will be a little different than my 5 years at Brigham Young University. That was a "university" experience, meaning, I was away from home only doing school-oriented things like studying and tests, a lot of socializing and maybe working 12 hours a week at Hogi Yogi. True, college student style.

Side information: Kent had a much better job at BYU. He was a Library Security Guard. If you don't know what that means, think really cute prep guys in navy blue blazers with tan slacks and diagonally striped ties. At least that's how I remember them. One of them even had a British accent when I was there. Dreamy.

Now, I'm married, have a full-time job (well, some weeks) and I will only be taking one class, PIANO. It is about time I develop this talent. At age 12, I quit. My mom told me I would regret it and I do, so it's back to piano lessons for me. Group lessons are the most cost effective way of doing things-$46 for the semester-and I'll get to know new people. Who cares that they might be 19. It was actually kind of funny because the girls in front of me in the registration line were LBCC cheerleaders with black and red bows in their hair. Made me laugh.

So, I guess it's back to school in a 'wanting to develop a basic skill' sense, but I'm just as excited as I was when school and Fall would roll around when I was younger. The learning, the friends, the season...can't wait.

required reading is better when not required

Currently, I'm on page 467 of this....

and I can hardly put it down.

I neglect almost everything, including Kent (I'm sorry, lover) when it's in my hand. It took about 100 pages for me to get into it, but I'm definitely into it.

I highly dislike (basically, hate) Ellsworth Toohey.
I find Dominique Francon mysterious.
And I love Howard Roark.

Any author that can get me to hate a fictional character must be doing something right.

(By the way, this was never required reading for me in high school or college, but it seems like a book that should have been on the list. Good thing it wasn't because I don't think I would be enjoying it half as much.)

228 pages left to go.

year one

One year of marital bliss down and all is well in the Sommer household. It would be hard for things not to go well when you're married to a Kent. He's so great-patient, kind, fun, funny, smart, unique-a very easy man to get along with.

At the end of the day last week, we were having a conversation and I was feeling out of sorts and I asked Kent, "When did you first realize I was crazy?"

His reply, "I've always known you were crazy."

Talk about true love.

Marriage is a wonderful thing and I'm so grateful to be married to Kent Merrill Sommer.

I am one lucky girl.

side by side

Only one night of this on Wednesday, except, I'll be sleeping in a cabin with a bunch of teenage girls and whispering to Kent through a cell phone.

Silver lining, I'll be reunited with my husband on Thursday, and after 30 years, I'll get a room for two at my family reunion.

Marriage. I love it.

a near death experience

At about 6:24 pm last Friday, Floyd nearly met his death while driving along Seal Beach Blvd. As he was about to cross the 405 overpass, something broke inside. He wasn’t quite sure what had happened, but there was a crackly thud then he started slowing down. Not certain how to proceed, he slowly made his way to the shoulder of the road.

Next thing he knew, he was smoking. What had just happened? All vital signs were functioning, but he didn’t think he should move, so he sat, and sat, until he eventually felt himself being lifted unto the back of a truck. Had salvation found him?

Floyd knew he was old. He had been many places, seen many faces, and he felt he had served his purpose. If life ended now, he was at peace.

He sat in a critical state for a couple of days while a diagnosis was made and deliberations were had about his future. Would it be better to let him go or to give him a second chance? It was confusing because he had done so much already. He didn’t have anything left to prove. If it was his time, it was his time.

After much discussion, it was determined that Floyd had a little more to give. He could recover from this near death experience and offer more service to those who love him.

The transplant won't be easy, but it will be worth it.

Thank you for sticking around a bit longer, Floyd. We can’t wait to haul another Christmas tree on your racks or load you down with 300 lbs. of flagstone. Most importantly, we’ll try to not make you feel like a waste basket on wheels anymore. You’re too good for that.

Much love to you. Get well soon.