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I love spending time with my family.  The more family that is around, the better I usually like it.  Whether it’s having my husband and all my children at home for a meal or whether we are all gathered at my parents’ house for a holiday or birthday celebration, I love being with my family.  There is such a coziness, such a feeling of belonging that accompanies being together.   The laughter, the conversation, the cooking, and the eating are all a wonderful part of family gatherings, but the best part of our togetherness is the feeling of shared history we all have.  Laughing at many of the same old stories and making new memories, memories that will become “old stories” in the future, are what help to unite us and to make us who we are.  Family is a beautiful word and a beautiful concept; the time I spend with my family is something I enjoy and treasure.

My husband can be quite frugal with our eating allowance on trips, so sometimes on vacation we get pretty hungry between meals.  One vacation to Disney World was no exception.  We had had a busy day and were all very hungry by the time we got back to our hotel.  My husband decided that he would not spend much on supper, opting to buy a bowl of ice cream instead of a meal.  The rest of us ordered a regular supper and soon the waitress brought our bread.  My husband had been away from the table, returning just as  the waitress placed a bowl kind of in front of him.  I reached for the bowl, and he quickly grabbed it from me stating indignantly, “This is all I am having for supper!”  Then he began to spoon a bite out of it, as I watched smiling.  The waitress sweetly intervened, “Sir, that’s not your ice cream.  That’s the butter.”

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My youngest son is now in high school and is participating in school baseball.  In this area we have a summer program for the month of June during which the teams practice and play in tournaments.  Last week started the summer program, and most of the week the afternoon temperatures were in the high 90’s.   What was I doing?  I was sitting on the bleachers watching baseball!  The sun was beating down, the air was still, and heat emanated off the aluminum seats.  There wasn’t just one game either; there were three.  As always, though, I was there, cheering on my son.  Baseball is a hot, dirty game, and it is certainly not for sissies.  Come to think of it, though, neither is being a baseball mom!

The most I probably ever spent on one single item has brought me many hours of relaxation and comfort.  The overstuffed sectional sofa in our den is definitely one of the most comfortable spots in the house.  One reclining seat and one chaise lounge give versatile seating arrangements to the traditional sofa seating.  Eight people can be easily accommodated, or as is often the case, I can snuggle into the sofa all by myself to read, watch television, or sleep- or maybe do all three in the same afternoon.  It’s been great for family, great for company, and great for just one or two of us.  That sofa is one example of money well spent.

If I could have any car I wanted I would want to get another Escalade when the one I have now gives out.  We have really enjoyed this SUV.  It is very roomy and very comfortable for both driver and passengers.    It drives well and sits way up high, something I really like.  We can easily take the whole family with us in one car when we go somewhere.  One of my favorite things about this automobile is the front and back seat warmers.  We really don’t even need to turn on the heat most of the time in the winter as long as we have the seat warmers on.  If I could have any car I wanted, what would it be?  I am satisfied to get a newer model of what I have when the time comes.

My freshman year in college I took a class in English literature from its beginning through the time of Shakespeare.  Several of the early selections were written in a hard to recognize variation of the English language, Middle English.  My professor, who was such an interesting teacher throughout the quarter, could speak that Middle English so well.  He was absolutely fascinating to hear as he read to us excerpts from The Canterbury Tales.  He could make anything he taught come alive to the point that I could almost fancy myself back in time listening to the stories in the time they were written.  Shakespeare had been up until that time hard for me to follow, but the way my professor taught King Lear made the whole story crystal clear.  It was not always typical at the university I attended to get full professors in freshman and sophomore classes, but I was certainly fortunate to get one of the best full professors I ever had in my English class that first year.

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My human friends are wonderful, but my favorite animal, a dog, is quite an exceptional friend as well.  My dogs have always had an extraordinary role in my life.  Dogs are an intuitive animal.  They sense when I am sick or sad and come sit right next to me, not badgering me with platitudes, but offering quiet comfort.  They are always so glad to see me when I have been gone and make me feel that I am uniquely special to them.  They ask so little:  a kind word, a pat on the head, or a quick belly rub often satisfied their needs.  Even when I do something to them they don’t like- such as give them a pill or bathe them- they bear no grudges.  Dogs are my favorite animal and one of life’s gifts to me.

My favorite website is Amazon.com.  It is like going to a huge mall without having to dress up, go out in the weather, find parking spots, or do a bunch of standing and walking.  Whether I am looking for something specific to buy for a gift or whether I just want to “window shop” for things I may just want to see, I can usually quickly find what I need there.  When I homeschooled my son, I was able to find textbooks there.  When I hear about some unique item that I don’t even know where to find,  Amazon has it.  I have an Amazon credit card that makes checking out when make a purchase a breeze.  Christmas shopping is so much easier all the way around, thanks to Amazon.  So whether I want to do some serious shopping or just spend some time browsing, I enjoy turning to my favorite website, Amazon.com.