A Love Letter

Dear Summer,

I am at a loss without you. I keep reliving those fleeting, hot days when we spent time together. I know you had to leave and you promised to return. But it feels like a lie. Maybe if you would just write and let me know you're ok and send me a picture, I might be able to believe that you'll return.

I look out the window now and the freezing rain leaves tracks on the window, on my reflection. My sallow face is dark under the eyes and tear stained. I can see some of the things you've left behind...sunflower stalks, the sandbox, the pool. When I go to the shed to drag out the snowblower, I can still catch a whiff of freshly mown grass that remains on the lawn mower and brings back memories of heat and lemonade. These brief flashes of memory restore me long enough to clear the driveway and salt the walk.

I did hear from your friend, the ground hog, that it will be another six weeks of winter, which was disappointing news. And Winter has buried me three times in the past two weeks, which seems vindictive, if you ask me. If Spring ever arrives, I know she'll bring with her the lilacs that you know I love. And the lilacs will give me strength to believe that you will return and we can be together again.

Your fireflies at dusk and your starry nights dazzle me. Your heat and even your humidity make me blush and sweat at the same time. Your brightness and breezes light up my world and carry scents of barbeque and sunscreen. Your bold thunderstorms shake the earth beneath my feet and render me speechless with their drama. I cannot wait to feel your embrace once more.

For now, I will sit under a strong lamp and take some vitamin D. I'll buy a pack of hot dogs and grill them on my Foreman Grill. I'll have a cold Budweiser and turn up the furnace to 90. Then I'll spend the evening throwing darts at Winter's picture. It's a poor substitute but I can't cry anymore.

God speed, my love. Return to me soon.

Love,
Flannery
xoxox

Valentine's Day

I shall always be near you; in the gladdest days and in the darkest nights . . . always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.

--Sullivan Balloou, Civil War Letter

I forget in my day to day life what love is. I move through the motions and apply myself to tasks on my list. I am frustrated, bored, amused, tired, pleased, surprised, and moved. But these fleelings are fleeting and I go to bed, get up and do it again. But there are moments when Lucy holds my face with both hands and kisses me sweetly and smiles. Or Riley shares a laugh with me about something that she just now understands. Or Doc laughs and pulls me into a bear hug. Or my Grandma emparts something profound from her life. Or my Mom struggles to hide the fact she's bluffing. Or my Dad lights up when the girls rush to greet him. Or Spooky spouts a perfectly crafted zinger. Or the Cap'n loses himself in laughter. Or Rachel nods after hearing me talk about the kids and says, "Just Wait..." And I remember love.

Love can be grand. It can be diamonds and Carribean cruises. It can be violins and chocolate. While these are soaring winds that can lift you for a while, I prefer the small, steady flow of love's everyday movements. If you feel the small breezes and note their movements, you will see how much love you have. Carry that with you in a small jar around your neck and open it up when things are bleak. Let the spirit of love soothe your throbbing temple.

And please accept this kiss I blow to you today. It carries with it my hopes for your that you are happy and loved.

Happy Valentine's Day, dear friend.

Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes

It's Valentine's Day and you may find yourself casting about the internet looking for good love quotes with which to woo. I say, look no further than your own URL. I've compiled a list of love quotes from all of you. And to prove my love, I've linked you too. Enjoy, meine liebchene!

XOXOX

Anyhoos, because I love you all, I have roused myself from the couch and torn myself away from the Hell's Kitchen marathon and the giant lotion-infused box of tissues to wish you all a nice, you know, whatever the fuck it is you're celebrating.

---Vikitikitavi


I've always loved Crazy Straws!

---BSUWG


But then, I'd never fallen madly in love with a man who lives in fucking Michigan before. What's a girl to do but invest in a good pair of snow boots and throw caution to the wind?

---Megan


Anyone object if I take charge of Christmas dinner? I would love to roast a turkey in that stove!

---Coaster Punchman


I hope you get what you wanted, that you eat and drink too much, and hug someone you love.

---Doc


I love a woman who knows how to dress for the occasion.

---Beth


I know you love Harry Potter, but wizard please...

---Deadspot


Love and forgiveness are neither old nor new values; they are the timeless values that make us truly human.

---Elizabeth


I want to dream of beautiful things tonight. I want to dream of sexy women, and of a life that loves me. I want to wake up and find my world static for two minutes, so that I can pay my bills and find the sexy women that I dream of.

---Evil Genius

I love free.

---Phil


So far, the artificial heart is insufficiently open to let love in.

---Grant Miller


...but I love this song...

---Johnny Yen


What if radio stations did NOT play any lurvy-dovey-mushy-gooshy love songs for the month of February? What music would actually be LEFT??

---Hot Lemon


I love going out in a warm summer rain and dancing around in it. It just makes me feel alive and free. I spare the neighborhood and keep my clothes on, but the rest...they're just going to have to deal with it.

---Raven


But I really love the snow. I love how it sparkles in the sun, and when the wind blows it around the air sparkles.

---Amy


At this point people will say we’re in love and there might be something to it. Her coffee sucks.

---Dale


If you don't love it then you are obviously devoid of mirth.

---Pezda's Ghost


I don't believe in love at first sight.

---Skyler's Dad


I love it when restaurants give you a moist towelette. They smell awesome.

---Chris


Who doesn't love triangles?

---Splotchy


I hope tonight finds you surrounded by people you love, and who love you back.

---Bubs


Sweet sweet pink love, in all your soft cuddliness, drape yourself on me and whisper sweet nothings in my ear.

---Tanya


I do love you all.

---Tenacious S


If cancer is our love, then I hope you don't have the technology of chemotherapy.

---The Boob Lady


Love the banjo.
---BeckEye


Because I am merely a man, and I bring nothing but love for you, here comes the Wednesday 15:

---Frank


I love orange kitties!

---Kristi


I love you, man, but you need to just shut the fuck up .

---Genn6


Well said. Happy Valentine's Day, you mad, marvelous geniuses!

Valentine's Day

Some people believe Valentine's Day is a "Hallmark Holiday," created to make money for the greeting card companies. To this I say: Perhaps. However, in my experience, I've found that I quite like getting a beautiful, store bought card that has a sweet sentimental message about how awesome I am and how awesome we are together. So, I have never been able to turn my nose up at the consumerism of Valentine's Day. I like it too much. I like having a sweetheart. I like being someone's sweetheart. I like getting candy or flowers or a small teddy bear with a red bow on it. I like the acknowledgement. I also like to do the same for my beloved ones. It's a perfect excuse for someone like me who has turned down her squishy sentimental side to let hopeless romanticism fly.



In the spirit of the liberation of my own personal cupid, I recommend you let a little love in your heart and spring for some sentimentality this year. Buy a card. Buy a gift. What's the matter? on't know where to start? For the most part, you can count on advertising to let you know what the most appropriate Valentine's Day gifts are. But I would like to help keep you out of the dog house. So, here is a list of things you should avoid buying as Valentine's Day gifts.

• Household appliances
• Exercise equipment
• How-to books
• Sweats
• Yarn
• Motivational tapes for dealing with emotional vampires
• Klingon Dictionary
• Wallet
• Carton of Cigarettes
• Foil
• Zip Strips
• TurboTax
• Java coding book
• Odor-Eaters
• White-Out
• 3-hole punch
• Coupon for tire rotation
• Mulch

What would you like not to receive?

Fifteen Minutes 'Til Bath Time

Who knows when I'll get another chance to write much. But have you ever been at a poker game with a couple who's broken up but just wants to be friends? It's awkward, I tell you. Waves of iciness followed by drafts of neediness all in the cutthroat atmosphere of a poker tournament. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, but it was weird.

The worst part is that I'm very bummed that these two have broken up. The one who is not technically "family" is someone I would never want to leave my life. I fear that the "just friends" might soon move do "drifted apart." Crap. It doesn't help much that this family member had broken up with someone equally as lovable to be with this person. And she is breaking up with her current love to return to the one she broke up with in the first place.

Maybe I'll get lucky and have them all three around. But this wouldn't be so lucky for them, I don't think. The latest lovelorn one must find the way to happiness and fulfillment and I doubt that being second place behind the first lovelorn one is the best destiny. For now, it seems to be working, though, so I'll enjoy it while I can.

I'll just stand by, play my cards close to the vest and try to hold on to them all, regardless of the probable futility of it all. After all, as Orlando Bloom says, "No cause is lost if but one fool is left to fight for it."

My Therapist's Tactics Work!

Mainly, my therapist, Karen, is helping me to reduce the stress in my life, so that I don't spend a majority of my time acting like a cornered lynx. If you know me at all, you know that I'm under a great deal of pressure. All that pressure causes your girl Flannery to flip out, lash out, weep, fret, pace, pick scabs, eat poorly, snap at people and make bad decisions. I've been to therapists before and they've usually been of the type to help me try to figure out what's wrong, which was useless to me. I know what my problems are; I just didn't know how to work through or around them. Usually, when faced with an obstacle I invent a rash and risky strategy and leap before I look. Sometimes that works, but usually, it just compounds my problems.

So I was skeptical when I sat down in Karen's office for the first time. I was preparing to waste time exploring why I was depressed, not how to move on. She started out by determining that I was under a lot of pressure and that we ought to start off by finding ways to reduce some of the stress in order to alleviate some of that pressure. In fact I was so surrounded by pressure, I really was having trouble determining what she meant. She kept saying, "Let's try to reduce your stress." I'd be like, OK, but I don't see how you're going to do that. My stresses seemed huge and out of my control: my work sucked, my commute sucked, my money issues sucked.

The things she told me to do at the first session seemed minor and I doubted that they would do me any good. But in the spirit of progress, I did try a few things and they seemed to work. They worked so well, in fact, that for the second session, I brought paper and pencil and took notes. I've been game to try just about any of her suggestions, but there was one piece of advice I was very reluctant to enact. Karen suggested I read a romance novel and told me it would be a nice way to keep my mind on romance and not lose sight of all that could be torrid/turgid in my life. I have to say, I am baring my soul here, so please be gentle when mocking me in the comments section. She backed up her advice by quoting studies that said women who read romance novels were happier in general.

I smiled and nodded and mentally tossed this idea right in my mental trash bin. I've read romance novels before. I used to work the midnight shift in a print room and I'd get so bored around 3:30 a.m. that I'd root through the drawers looking for anything to read, a pack of gum, instructions for assembling said desk, anything. Fortunately the day shift girl kept a stock of Harlequin romances in the drawer. In my experience, here is the plotline for ALL romance novels.

• Priveledged woman is succeeding in life
• Priveledged woman meets maverick cowboy/artist/Scotsman
• They hate each other at first and/or they fall madly in love
• They break each other's hearts out of stupidity or miscommunication
• They both go back to safer lovers or decide to date that guy/girl his/her mother always favored and nagged about
• A tragedy strikes
• They realize they can't live without each other
• They set sail/ride/fly off into the sunset

Sometimes you could encounter a priveledged man and a maverick woman, but the plotlines rarely varied from this formula. Frankly, I'd rather read the instructions for putting a desk together.

A week or so after she gave me this new suggestion, I found myself at the library with the girls. They were playing in the children's section and I told them I was going to dash over to the audio books to find some books for my commute. This is another of Karen's suggestions: to make sure I always have some book or music to escape to while driving. She also recommended that I make sure my car is my haven. Since I've followed those instructions, my commute has become a dream; it is my time to reflect, to drive, to learn, to be entertained. I now look forward to driving to work.

Anyway, I had to pick quickly since I hate to have the girls out of my sight in a public place. But this library is small and I could hear them over by the audio books, so I wasn't too worried about them. But I did try to choose quickly. I found a Hamish Macbeth mystery, The Death of a Maid, an Agatha Christie mystery, And then there were none, some old Sherlock Holmes radio shows, and, on impulse, Impossible, by Danielle Steele.

It took me a while to get around to listening to Impossible, but eventually I did. I won't go into the plot details here because I can already tell you are too smart for this piece of shit. It was so redundant, it broke all the rules of good writing (and not in a good way), it was predictable, it was clunky, it was stupid. I did not feel more romantic about my life at all. This book pissed me off, insulted my intelligence, and stretched my willing suspension of disbelief until it snapped in two.

But it did do something for me: I now know that my novel will be, if anything, better than Impossible. And you know what? Feeling superior is an aphrodisiac, so I guess in a way, this book did rekindle the fire in my writing loins. As for my other loins, maybe I'll try to find a romance novel with Fabio on the cover.

Unless you have any suggestions?

Every Now And Then...

...we have to have uncomfortable talks with those we love. We need to express hurt feelings or register dissatisfaction with the way things are going. I find, in many cases, it's important to set some ground rules. I'll list some of mine here, but I'd be very interested in hearing what some of your ground rules would be. Please add them to the comments. Here are mine:

• Turn off cell phones, TV's, etc.
• Try not to interrupt
• Try to remain objective
• Don't yell or throw things
• Try to keep going, even if it gets a bit uncomfortable, but also know when it's time to give each other space and cool off
• Try to identify the problem before offering solutions
• Respect each other's opinions and emotions; honor them as valid
• Promise to keep everything said in the fight confidential; don't go running to tell tales out of school
• Don't roll your eyes
• Don't point fingers
• No name calling
• Come up with a plan for the future that all can agree to
• If someone starts crying, immediately call a time out and hug that person til they stop
• Keep your values in your back pocket and don't compromise them for the sake of peace and quiet

Have I missed any? What would you add?

Do You Like Me? (Circle Yes or No)

Megan tagged me; she wants to know about crushes I have had. It's always fun to mine this vein; it's rife with dashed hopes and lonlieness and plenty of opportunities for character building.

*****

She didn't tell me how many I should talk about, so I'll go with a few from the middle school era. You know about one already. I think I can come up with three more.

*****

Greg Burlingame. He was the strong, silent type. In the fifth grade, we played a lot of quiet games of tether ball. He was really good at tether ball. I don't think we ever talked, but we lived the metaphor of wrapping a ball attached to a rope around a pole, only to undo it and repeat for the duration of each recess. It was very zen. We went to separate middle schools and I didn't see him for three years. When we rejoined in high school, I rarely ever saw him. I think he joined the vocational school taking up horticulture or auto mechanics. But occaisionally, we'd pass in the hall and I'd wonder if he remembered our tether ball days.

*****

Tom Kelly. Tom was a cute little blonde who rode my bus. I was in lurve with him throughout the entirity of my middle school years. He reminded me of a young Johnny Carson (so hott!). However, he was not the least bit interested in me. At one time, I sent him a note, telling him I liked him. But Tom, ever the staunch diplomat, never responded one way or the other. So, I was left to dangle, wondering. I think, in retrospect, he must have been gay.

*****

Terry Cross. Terry was my best friend's dad. He looked a bit like Harvey Corman. He used to restore classic cars and golf. He had a dark tan and dimples. I believe he was the first dimpled man to move my heart. He smoked merit cigarettes and loved Jackie Gleason. He also thought I was funny. Of course, nothing ever came of this. He was at least 30 years older than me.

*****

So there you have my crushes: Greg Burlingame, the man who taught me that silence was golden; Tom Kelly, a man who taught me that I could do better; and Terry Cross, who gave me my Achilles' heel and made dimples my kryptonite.

*****

I tag Doc, a major hotty with dimples, curly blonde hair, blue eyes and the best ass I've ever seen. He also thinks I'm funny, which is more important to me in a partner than I'd like to admit.

Fallen Idol: Epic Love Story or Brilliant Publicity Stunt?

Lately, I've been rallying behind love. So I must admit that I watched Fallen Idol from that perspective. But I did find a place to draw a line in the sand and walk away to stand behind the innocent.

In 50 words or less: Paula Abdul uses her charms and powers as a judge to cut her a stallion out of the corral and groom him to take first place. Long story short, to quote Barry Manilow, they fell in love. Well, he fell in love. When he was dropped like a ton of rotting meat (tm Big Orange) by American Idol on a technicality, he was also dropped thusly by Paula.

Until he leaked the story, he heard nothing from her. Now, all of a sudden, she's on his ass like underoos, promising record deals if he keeps quiet. To Corey, it's now about revenge. He has produced an album that John Cusak would proudly seranade some brainy waif about how much Paula has wrecked his life.

The question remains, did Paula ever love him? If she did, then we can explain her behavior recently as the extremely scared and lovelorn reactions of a human who made some mistakes to try to salvage her career and reputation. If she never loved him, she's the cold-hearted snake she warned us of in the 80's. What got me was Corey's Mom's reaction to reading his lyrics about his ordeal. His Mom called Paula on her actions and told her to grow up.

Either way, Paula Abdul has reacted poorly and has done some damage to the competition by misusing her power and then making herself scarce when the shit hit the fan. Even though he was an adult, he was 18 years her junior. He was just another little puppy in her brood.

Or...

Paula and Corey are in on the biggest publicity stunt American Idol has ever pulled. Come with me as we go back in time to a brainstorming session at 19E.

Suit 1: Scandal kind of works for this show, don't you think?
Suit 2: Brilliant!

And the above story is the product of a target market survey of people like me who hate themselves for watching but just can't turn away. The best part of this show for me is conspiracy hunting. What a better way to increase your ratings, if your looking down the road, than to plan a plotline that would stretch across three seasons and would be too delicious to ignore?

This week American Idol will be on or covered for over 6 hours on two networks. Not to mention,Reported on by local affiliates and other media outlets too numerous to contemplate. My local news station WEWS News Channel 5, not only covered the story and covered Primetime Live's coverage of the story, but they are also covering people's reaction to the news!

Fox is laughing all the way to the bank. You know they have a piece of Corey Clark and whatever he makes (well, I don't know that, but I have my suspicions...and this lovely foil hat). If this is a publicity stunt, I tip my foil hat at you bastards; I'm your bitch. If it's just the unhappy luck of being the hottest topic in the country; I'm not so much as "your bitch" but more like ruefully respectful. Either way, I know I'm going to have something to talk about for weeks to come.

I do hope, though, after discussing it with Madame E, that Paula did love him. And that when they throw her off the show, the producers give her a shitload of cash, a record deal and that she rides off into the sunset with Corey Clark and they have beautiful babies together.

Perhaps, I should get a life.

Wicked Wednesdays

My husband and I are a product of a long-distance relationship and I think we're doing pretty well. Married almost 8 years, two lovely daughters, a house and a cat. However, we weren't long distance for very long. We met in July at an Independence Day party. He was living in Newark and I in Cleveland. We lasted until about September, when I moved to Columbus, about 35 miles away instead of 300.

But during those long-distance days, it was very unsettling. On the weekends, when one of us would manage to visit the other (usually, I would drive to see him as I was the only one with a reliable car), it was lovely. We would have a good time, hang out with his friends, go for walks in the park and amuse each other with our best charms. Then it would be time to leave. I was sad to part, but I knew I could face the week ahead after having such a great time over the weekend. Monday would be good and we would talk on the phone. Tuesday, a little less so, maybe one of us couldn't reach the other by phone. Usually, I was the one who couldn't reach him. And since I was blessed with a neurotic mind and an overactive imagination; I usually began seriously to worry.

Was he out with another girl? Could I really trust him? Maybe I really wasn't in love with him afterall. No, I was; I thought. If I couldn't get in touch with him, on Wednesday, I'd seriously start to sulk, question my motives and just plain worry. Eventually, I'd talk to him and we'd make plans for the weekend and everything would be back to butterflies and bunnies.

I couldn't take it for very long. I was compelled to pick up and move myself closer to him. I quit my job, moved in with my Aunt and Uncle in Columbus and began a much more sensible relationship with him. We were closer, but not close enough. By February of the next year, we had decided to wed and set the date for October 25. By May, I'd decided to get a little apartment in Newark and we were finally dating in a "textbook" fashion. We could go out for dinner one night, catch a movie, go for a walk, whatever and then we could do it again the next day! We actually started to work at the same place and commute together. It was rad.

I don't like to be far away from him hardly ever. Even now, after 9 years of knowing him, I still want him close. I don't even like to be in different rooms from him in our house. I don't know if that strange or not. I think he feels the same way, although he is OK with being in different rooms from time to time.

On a side note, he did have to learn how to carry on a conversation with me while one or the other of us was on the john. This was a common practice in my family; conversations didn't stop just because you had to pee. We followed each other everywhere. Although, nowadays, I give him the space he needs and I'm finding that having some space myself is good too. It's amazing how protective I have become of that 47 second time allotment for taking a leak these days. My girls seem also to be of the mind that a pee shouldn't interfere with your next converstational point.

Anyway, having a long distance love was exciting at first; then a bit agonizing, then a bit of a drag, at least for someone with the attention span of a hummingbird (yours truly). But I do think they can work. If you find yourself in one and feeling the drag, I believe a change of perspective helps. Don't get too serious, too fast. Enjoy the glamour of savoring every moment together. Also enjoy the drama of being lovelorn during your days of separation. But, whatever happens, don't take each other too seriously. There is no point in worrying about what the other is doing. There is also no point in getting carried away when you're together and doing or saying things you may regret later.

Work for balance, grasshoppers. Give each other some space. Don't crowd each other in the bathroom. And keep trying to make it work so that you both feel comfortable and safe. It really is worth it.

Random McNuggets

It's weird; I usually have a running opinion/commentary on life but I'm sitting here scratching my head wondering what to write about. Plenty happened at work this week, but I won't write about work here because it is not whimsical. I guess this will just happen to be a post that captures the little things from this week. And I'll do it in another color.

Random McNugget 1:
I have decide who will be eliminated in the next five weeks of American Idol and who will ultimately win:

• Next week: Carrie will leave.
• Then, Vonzell
• Then, Constantine
• Then, Scott
• Then, Anthony
• Leaving Bo as your next American Idol.

These are not just random offerings, there is a system that I have that is based on fanbases and the individual singing styles of the remaining contestants.

Random McNugget 2

Riley had fun dancing to Rossini's overtures last night. She is now interested in ballet and dance (even Hip Hop!) thanks to Zoe's Amazing Dance Moves video, featuring Paula Abdul. She even let me put her hair up, which is an unbelievable accomplishment.

Random McNugget 3

Lucy said Ta-da! after she did something that amused herself the other day. Very cute. She is also saying hello, as well as uh-oh, no, yum yum. I can't wait til she starts conversing in earnest. She also does this cute babbling that sounds something like "doodle doodle doodle doodle" but is more precise and cute.

Random McNugget 4

The other night, I was compelled to giggle at the current state of Shawn's hair. At first he didn't know why I was giggling, but I just explained that he needs a haircut. It just looked so comical, but in a cute and endearing way. It was sticking up in little curly horns all over his head. So the next day he went to get it cut. The lady asked him if he was getting it cut for the summer, and he said, that his wife was teasing him about it. She said, "Well, at least she's still looking." He replied, "Yeah, that's why I'm here." Aww. This small anecdote just warmed my heart. He's a keeper.

Random McNugget 5

My friend Elaine and I went to lunch at Becky's yesterday. It was wonderful and relaxing. I enjoyed it so much, I convinced my friend Martha to join me and we went back today. It's looks like a dive on the outside, but inside it has hardwood floors a raised dining area, a nice bar and the best food evah! Martha and I were so hungry and the service was very slow. After awhile, the waitress brought a plate of homemade chips to our table so that we could hold body and soul together until our food arrived. It was a nice escape from the workplace on such a hectic week.

TGIF and TTFN.

Greenpearl out.

Let's Go Fly a Kite

Having spent most of the long winter watching Mary Poppins over and over again, I have been longing for springtime and the opportunity to go fly a kite. In the movie, it is the prize at the end of a struggle and a new beginning. I bought the girls kites for the birthday and hoped to fly them at their party last weekend. However, Mother Nature had other ideas and let loose with a snow storm that pushed us into history with record-breaking aplumb.

So today, we all went to Wildwood Park in Euclid with hopes that the breezes off the Lake will carry our kite to the highest heights. Boy, did it ever! It was at least 20 degrees colder and the wind was gusting. Unfortunately it was too cold for some of us, so my parents and the babies stayed in the car while Shawn and I flew the kite.

It is a beautiful kite. I only paid six bucks for it. It is kite shaped but it has a colorful fish emblazoned on it and the fins extend past the limits of the diamond shape. The tail is about twelve feet long and it has several smaller fish attached to it. Man, this kite soared. All you had to do was let go of it and man the string. What a beautiful sight to see set against the backdrop of the lake and the skyline of Cleveland. I was amazed, moved, and delighted all at the same time.

It is a wonderful feeling. All you have to do is watch it soar and react to the changes in the wind. It is still necessary to concentrate, but no so much you can't enjoy it. I was also able to allow my mind to wander and take in the beauty and love around me. Shawn never looked more lovable than when he was flying the kite. Who knew it was also so romantic?

Eventually, Riley did get to fly it. We were all delighted and made plans to do this often during the summer. How have we lived here for two years and never gone to the lakeshore? It is about 20 minutes from our house and now we know how to get there. I will remember the moments flying the kite forever. It will be filed away with other "happy places" to recall in times of pain and suffering right next to my memories of the valley.