We Are Everybody!!

Voting season is upon us. My answering machine is FULL of attack ads. Instead of frizzing your hair up with all my hot air, I will take things in a different direction.

It's about our differences. It's about love.

I grew up with a VERY opinionated father. That is the understatement of the past, present and future. He still has opinions on everything. Just ask him.

I consider myself to be a very conservative person. I came to this point while on my own journey. I believe there is a Creator. I believe He made all things. I believe with Him all things are possible. I believe Him when he says "Love Your Neighbor."

Not your Christian neighbor, your Straight neighbor, or your Ideological Clone neighbor. Nope. You just gotta love em where they are. Right there. Nowhere else, just there. I am pointing at a map, and it reads "You Are Here and Right There is Your Neighbor." Stick a push pin in it. Yeah, there. Make it a red one so you remember.

That said, we have to remember that during elections, debates, and family dinners, things will get heated. Disagreements are good. They keep us sharp. What they should NEVER do is make us draw lines in the sand. Or stick tape to the floor. Or cause cracks, and rifts in relationships. (Mitt Romney just robo-called me....) Let's leave the escalating to escalators.

So cast your vote, call a friend, and share a quiet non political moment. Hugs feel the same across all party lines. (See there? I just got all touchy feely.)

If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell
him is, "God is crying."  And if he asks why God is crying,
another cute thing to tell him is,
"Probably because of something you did." Jack Handey

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I Will Remember You-Or Things I will miss about Washington

I have never been silent about my dislike of Washington Rain. I capitalize it because it deserves respect. It is a force to be reckoned with, but I feel sorry for the reckoner. After seven years I have grown to use the "H" word when it comes to the rain. For those who have never been to Washington and experienced at least three rainy winters in a row I say -"Oh my gosh you are so lucky-what's it like in the real world-is it still there? "
For all that I don't like about the state of Washington (liberals, rain, Olympia, no jobs) there is much that I do. Oh, I do.

Like Mt. Rainier. When I come over the last hill on HWY 6 going to Chehalis, its there. Big as the Moon. Just as beautiful and wondrous as any heavenly body. I could stare at it for hours. The power, the glory!

I really need a better camera. The point and shoot just doesn't convey all the glory!

I will miss apple trees that grow wild, and bear strange fruit. I will miss seeing deer and elk on my drive home. I will miss the festivals that go on throughout the summer. (Winlock Egg Days!) The classic cars that come out on sunny days. Picturesque settings. Beautiful views. Sun showers! Momma skunks with babies following behind; all the tails bouncing along.

The Chehalis River with Doty Bridge Construction in the background.

Not everything about Washington has been terrible. I had two of my babies here. I had a great job with great co-workers. I have met some VERY interesting people. I made a couple of good friends. So as much as I can't stand the rain I am torn. That's the most surprising part of all of this. I am really torn. I am dying to get out of here, but not ready to say goodbye.

Safeway-Chehalis My Manager Steve was THRILLED I took this.

The delicious soups that nursed me through two pregnancies.

In conclusion (how professional!) I admit defeat. I fell a little bit in love with the crying sensitive, guy. The arm candy, with the never ending tears. That's how I feel about Washington. Sure he was beautiful to look at, but his blubbering always left me with boogers on my prom dress.

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