STRESS MANAGEMENT:

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised

a glass of water and asked,

"how heavy is this glass of water? "

Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied,

"The absolute weight doesn't matter.

It depends on how long you try to hold it.

"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.

If I hold it for an hour,

I'll have an ache in my right arm.

If I hold it for a day,

you'll have to call an ambulance.

"In each case, it's the same weight,

but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. "

He continued,

"And that's the way it is with stress management.

If we carry our burdens all the time,

sooner or later,

as the burden becomes increasingly heavy,

we won't be able to carry on. "

"As with the glass of water,

you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding

it again.

When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. "

"So, before you return home tonight,

put the burden of work down.

Don't carry it home.

You can pick it up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you're carrying now,

let them down for a moment if you can. "

"Relax; pick them up later after you've rested.

Life is short.

Enjoy it!

thirty-five years of sheer BLISS!!!

The Young Bride-To-Be!

July 24th of this year marked our Thirty-fifth Wedding Anniversary! Wow! All those years wth the same man!!! We'll probably make the Guiness Book of World Records!

When we met, Chandler was in his first year of teaching Woodshop at Hurst Jr. High School and I was in my second year of college at Tarrant County. We had seen each other in September in a Sunday School class at my church....but didn't actually meet until he walked into the doctor's office where I was working part time. It was at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9, 1971 and he came to see Dr. Burke because he had fallen off of his motorcycle and hurt his back!!! (that should have been my warning!)......and we married at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 24, of the SAME YEAR!!! (yes, a short 5 1/2 months later!)

We have lived several "lifetimes" in 35 years. Six years in Hurst, Texas (where I grew up); 5 years in Houston ---or rather, Tomball, Texas just north of Houston--- where our kids were born; 6 years in Lufkin (East Texas) where we built a house; and EIGHTEEN YEARS here in Atlanta! Our kids called this home and married wonderful spouses here....only to LEAVE US and move to Colorado!!! Even Nathan & Courtney are planning to move next summer....after the birth of their first baby!

Two kids and four grandsons later.....several dogs (Schnickelfritz the dauchsund, Biscuit, Abby, Jasmine, and Daisy)....and many, many wonderful friends along the way....mark the years with lasting memories....and enough encouragement to press on for another 35!!!

So, above you see a picture of me at my Wedding Shower...given at my Aunt Marilyn's house. Skinny little thing, wasn't I? (so was Chandler!!!---not pictured here, but I will hunt for a photo to post!)

Please mail all cards of 'congratulation's' and checks (made out to me!) to our home here in Atlanta! :)

The Aunts Go Marching One-By-One......Hurrah, Hurrah!

Aunt Marilyn, Aunt Rosemary, Aunt Shirley....

This past week my three aunts came to visit from Texas.
I wanted to give them a real taste of
Southern Hospitality
so I tried to make every day
Special.

We visited a different Tea Room every day for lunch,
and made the rounds to all my favorite
Antique Shops!
It was all I could do to keep up with these three....

...and then some barely made it thru
even the FIRST DAY!!!!!

In our adventures, we met these
little old ladies who wanted
their pictures taken....

Aunt Fannie Mae

Aunt Lulabelle

* * * * * * * *

Then there was the Antique Shopping Adventure...

Antique wishing....

Antique shopping....

...and antique buying!!!

* * * * * * * * *

The Pink Flamingo Party!
I wanted to honor my aunts with a party,
so I invited my "birthday group" and my new
friend who was in town from North Dakota.
We had a "southern" meal of black-eyed peas,
creamed corn, green beans, fried okra,
sliced tomatoes and corn bread.
These pictures are kinda fuzzy....
but you get the idea:
THIS WAS FUN!!!!!

LEFT TO RIGHT:
Marilyn, Sheila (on floor),
Andi, Dana, Pam (on sofa),
and Margie behind the sofa.

Aunt Rosemary, Aunt Shirley

Aunt Marilyn, Aunt Rosemary, Aunt Shirley

Dana - (Margie's daughter & Andi's sister - left.)
Linda Jensen - (the bride's mom - right.)

Left to right:
Pam - (the knitter - has home on St. Simon's Island.)
Lynn - (Jan's sister - family that sings.)
Andi - (Margie's daughter, Dana's sister, Karen's mom.)
Margie (in the background)
...and where is Jan? How did she escape??

Aunt Rosemary, Aunt Shirley & Sheila.
(Pastor's wife - owns jewelry store in Woodstock -
the one who has 9 children!)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lunch at The Swan Coach House

Surprises at breakfast every morning!