run on sentences

Happy 58th to my sweet spouse of lo these many years. Seems like yesterday that we walked down the hill together from work and you asked me to go for a bike ride. I borrowed a "balloon tire bomber" from my friend. I thought our ride would be just around the neighborhood. I didn't know you had 35 miles up in Ogden on your mind! That was the beginning of my developing some good habits, including exercise and also wearing a seat belt. You insisted that I wear one in your little BMW - I can't believe that I didn't used to think it necessary! So the rest is history. Our bike ride turned into several more, me getting a new bike (which unfortunately sits in our garage, unused (but so does yours). We moved in together when it wasn't as acceptable to do so as it is now. Then we got married after a year of "living in sin". Your mother was disappointed even though she thought I had "pretty hair and a nice smile". My mom just said it gave her "a ...

"Ilo" is the Finnish word for joy - it is one of the few words in Finn that doesn't have several double vowels and about 20 letters. I like it because it is short, just like the English word. It is a little word, but it is meaningful. Many people look for joy or happiness and never find it, mostly because they expect it to find them, or for someone else to give it to them. Some people have too much to do to take time for simple things that would bring them joy. "Don't postpone joy" a bumper sticker I saw read. I think this is good advice. The ladies in the picture above were at a Finnish music festival that I went to in Covington, Michigan a few weeks ago. The one in the purple sweatshirt is Bertha and seemed to be the spokesperson of the group. The one in the dress is Suzy. She had a difficult time walking and an even harder time hearing. The three other ladies held on to her as they made their way to a picnic table in front of me, my sister, Kseniya and S...

I have been visiting my small home town in Northern Michigan, where everything that is going to happen on any given day has to happen after Jan Tucker. Jan Tucker has had a radio show every weekday since I was a little kid. It is on from 09 to 1030 or so and I think everyone in my town and the surrounding area goes on hold till they find out who is in jail, who died and what the recipe of the day will be. And, if you call her, she will wish anyone you want a happy birthday on the air. If your name is announced, you can pick up a coupon good for $5 at Syl's , which is a restaurant one town over. "Turn down your radio" Jan always has to tell people when they call her. They always forget but she reminds them. My mother has one of the morning shows on TV and she puts that on mute, and listens to Jan Tucker on full blast. Jan knows everything, from the weather to all the current events. I like that this show continues because it might be the only thing that gets people to list...