I know we couldn’t possibly seem that old, but Vince and I had our first date on February 11, 1995, at Bob’s Big Boy. I had chicken tortilla soup, and we split a fudge sundae. It was a memorable evening. We both think the marriage is probably going to last.
***********
Goldie and Moji have been on strike since we got home. We couldn’t get Goldie to go outside or eat Monday morning after we arrived late on Sunday. She dug into Vince’s pillow and refused to move. Moji hid under the bed, taking a minute to see what we were serving for lunch.
I finally got Goldie to go for a walk, but she did so with her tail between her legs and wouldn’t get on the grass anywhere in case a coyote or other big animal had been there. A friend told me that they smell the other animals. Apparently, the big animals were busy here while we were gone.
Now, she is helping me blog. I took these pictures for John’s CellPic Sunday. I took out a wire in Lightroom. Beyond that, I didn’t do much for the first one and nothing for the second.
Good News!
I found my hard drive right where I always keep it on the desk. I forgot to pack it when we went to Visalia for three months, and Vince didn’t know where to look. So, I’m back in business. Yay!
Here are some rosy pictures for Terri’s Sunday Stills color challenge.
My life was just turning rosy after finishing up chemo and getting ready for radiation treatment. Vince treated me to a trip to Visalia via a rosy Cirque de Soleil show, Mystère, in Las Vegas to celebrate recovery.
Seeing all my friend’s “great-grandkids” was an unexpected joy. I watched the parents and grandparents of these kids grow up, so this is as close as it gets to family. Isla looked a little rosier in her pink shirt after her mom finished her hair. She played in her rosy kitchen after that.
I rosied up these pictures by playing with Lightroom’s tint. The little kitchen took a bit more work. It was tilted, and that took cropping and straightening. It was also rather noisy and not nearly rosey enough. I lowered the texture and clarity to eliminate the noise and added purple to the tint.
Meet the Book Tour Hosts
Last week, you met Esther Chilton, and the next day, Yvette Prior posted her second blog post about Story Chat Volume II.
“What I like about the Story Chat writing group, now in its third year, is how it brings the reader to new genres and allows us to leave our comfort zone. Now, of course, we need regular refreshment from comfortable genres, but it can be very good for humans to leave the same ol’ same ol,’”
Yvette Prior
“Making time to leave your comfort zone (like reading the Story Chat 2 anthology) can stimulate imagination and fuel creativity, it can boost your mood, and could even help if someone was wrestling with burnout.” Read more here.
Yvette Prior
Yvette has been with Story Chat almost from its inception always bringing us stories that yield lively discussions about important topics with a psychological slant. Her characters are always so believable that some readers think she writes stories about things that actually happened. What an amazing ability!
Yvette writes some of the most in-depth and engaging interviews I have ever read. I’m awestruck by how much effort she puts into her interviews and the conclusions she draws from them. Here is an interview with my friend, Miriam Hurdle.
For a few years, she hosted a Charles Dickens Challenge that ran from his birthday to the date of his passing, where she discussed a specific book. The great discussions we had over Charles Dickens books were in part, what inspired me to make Story Chat a place to chat about short stories.
You will also find her entering photo challenges; there’s always a little extra to enjoy in each post. On a regular basis, you’ll also find her reviewing books.
Yvette works as a university professor and conducts research. After earning a PhD in Industrial & Organizational Psychology, she poured into book projects and has not stopped writing since. Her past work experience has included teaching art, counseling (not therapy), hospitality management, and doing outreach. Yvette finds refreshment from yoga, exploring the arts, and writing.
She has lots more books than this one, but I was honored to have a chapter in this book. How special is that?
Story Chat Volume II Book Blog Tour Schedule
- Colleen Chesebro – November 24, 2024 (US) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Gloria – November 29 (UK)
- Robbie & Michael – November 30 (SA)
- Diana – December 1 (US)
- Doug – December 2 (AU) December 1 (US, UK, SA) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Cathy – December 4 (UK) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Amanda – December 9 (AU) December 8 (US, UK, SA)
- Dan– December 11 (US)
- Philip – December 14 (UK)
- Cindy Georgekas – December 16 (US)
- Esther Chilton – January 30 (UK ) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- D. L. Finn – February 4 (US) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Yvette – February 5 (US) Thanks for reviewing on Amazon.
- Hugh – January 27 (UK)
I hope you are having a great week and that you are embracing 2025. The new month and I are off to a great start! I updated my About Me, New Here, and Story Chat Digest 2025 Pages. How about you?
Marsha Ingrao Always Write 
57 responses to “Embracing Life Over a Cuppa Home Again in Prescott, AZ and the 30th Anniversary of our First Date”
[…] Last Over a Cuppa Embracing Life […]
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We’ll be gone from 6/8 -6/18. I’m glad you’re coming in May. Our family will spend Mother’s Day weekend together.
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That’s good to know. I’ll let you know.
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Happy anniversary. I’m so happy that you found your hard drive! Beautiful kitchen.
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Thank you dear, Raj. 🙂 xxx
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Most welcome dearly Marsha ❤️
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Oh I’m so glad you are back home and everything is where it should be. Lots of love my dear friend
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Thank you dear friend! 🙂 xxxx
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You’re most welcome
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What a relief to find your hard drive at long last, right where you left it. The puppies must be pleased to be home again.
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Goldie is not pleased at all. Everything outside spooks her. It’s cold, raining, and she’s in bad mood. We are packing to move, so Moji is a little on edge. Moving makes all of us a little edgy. There is so much to do. Vince isn’t remodeling the house, but he has numerous projects. Mine is packing, and it’s time for taxes and time to get all our annual doctor’s appointments done before we move. And we have two weeks to do it in! Yikes. Can I come to your house to hide out?
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You wouldn’t get anything done then! Write a list and check it off. You can do it!! 🙂
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We have list after list. We’re chipping away. 🙂 xxx
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You’ll get there in the end.
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We will. 🙂 xxx How’s kindergarten going?
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He’s loving kindy!
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I bet he’s making lots of friends. What fun for him, and all of you watching him grow up.
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Happy Date-a-versary! I used to work at Bob’s Bigboy many, many years ago… those hot fudge sundaes were truly memorable 🙂
I’m so happy that you found your hard drive! Maybe you should have done a video chat with poor Vince when he looked for it on your desk (although my husband might find it hard to locate anything on my desk sometimes).
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Now why didn’t I think of a video chat? What a great idea! Oh well, I lived without it, but it is good to have it back and have access to my photos. They are like old friends.
I bet your ears were burning the other day when Terri and I were chatting about friends. She had a post that she linked to my blogging post that had a picture of you during one of your visits. How fun! Maybe we will eventually meet up IRL, and have a hot fudge sundae – even if not at Bob’s Big Boy!
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Terri was the first blogger I met IRL and we must have gotten together 5-6 times since. One of these days, I’m sure we’ll be able to arrange a meet-up too!
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I hope so. Terri wasn’t my first, Mine was a blogger in San Diego when I was down there for a conference. Then, as I traveled for work, I met several others. My most distant were Carol, the Eternal Traveller and Leanne Cole from Australia.
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Happy Anniversary! What a happy occasion! I’m so glad, too, that you found your hard drive right where it was supposed to be 🙂 I hope your sweet pups recover quickly, our fur babies can be quite sensitive sometimes, can’t they?
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They will adjust. This is a bit colder than they had gotten spoiled by in the last three months in California. 🙂 Yes, they are both spoiled to death.
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Happy Anniversary to you and Vince! 🥳 I love when things are meant to be. Today, 2/12/25, my Ron is 77 years old! So here’s to more celebrating! How are you doing on your poetry book? Let’s connect soon. P.S. I’m still having issues with comments. I hope this goes through on yours. ❤️
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Happy birthday to Ron! We skipped giving gifts to each other many years ago, but with the grandkids, we go out to birthday dinner together.
I just found out that if I got an email from your site, I clicked on it to get to your site but I couldn’t comment on it. But I couldn’t click on your post from Reader to get to your site to comment! Isn’t it complicated? What if someone doesn’t have a blog but subscribes to your blog through an email?
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I don’t think they can comment, but that is a good question. One of my good friends created a WP account just so she could comment. Isn’t that sweet?
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I got your comment. Happy birthday to Ron. He’s a year + behind Vince. I’m waiting for one more response. She is supposed to call me soon. After that, it’s just a matter of tightening things up. It’s ready.
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A wonderful happy post Marsha
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Awww thanks.
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It was my daughter’s birthday yesterday (sssh- 54!) and they’re having a couple of days in London. They went to see Cirque de Soleil in the Royal Albert Hall last night. Not the same as yours. Many congratulations to you and Vince. I think you’re going to make a go of it, don’t you? Sending hugs. Too late to send roses.
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Happy birthday to your daughter. V’s son just had his 55th a couple of weeks ago! Yikes! London sounds lovely. There’s so much to do there especially if you love plays! Thanks for the thought of roses! I loved them. Vince did too! 🙂 xxxxxxx
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Wow, what a relief to have found your hard drive, Marsha! The guy who (asked his girlfriend) threw away the hard drive and lost 8000 Bitcorn worth $780 million. Haha 🙂 🙂
Congratulations on the 30th anniversary of your first date with Vince. Now you reminded me that the first date of Lynton and me was 30 years ago but in the summer. We’re meant to be for each other. We went to a church group meeting at someone’s home at the end of June. That was the last meeting before the summer break. We talked and exchanged phone numbers. Then there were no meetings in the summer. He called me and we had our first date going to the gym and that was the beginning of our 30 years. The 30th wedding anniversary is next year. Our daughter and son-in-law have theirs for the 10th anniversary next year. We’ll go on a family trip to celebrate. Thank you for the shoutout of Yvetter’s interview with me. She does everything with depth. I’ve known her before 2018, not sure of the exact year.
I look forward to meeting you in May when you come to Portland.
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Wow, that is a great love story for this Valentine’s Day. We spent a lot of time going to the gym in those days. We were both active work outers at the time. He was very serious at it, and I just didn’t want to get fat. 🙂 Have a wonderful family trip. Do you know where you are going yet? Congratulations to your daughter and son-in-law, too. I’ll see you in May! Can’t wait! 🙂 xxx
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As soon as I finished school from Seattle Pacific Universary, I moved to Los Angles in 1980. The first thing I did was getting a gym memership (it happend there was one right across from Chinese Eveangelical Free Church in Monterey Park). I used the machines and did aerobics. Excercising is one of the three things influence by my father – the other two: reading and green thumb. 🙂 As far as diet, I grew up eating Chinese food with meat was used to garnish vegetalbe dishes. My mom didn’t cook a whole dish of meat.
At the home group meeting, Lynton wore a tank top. I could tell he workout a lot. Then I was happy to find out he was a vegetarian the first ten years of his life. We were “love at first sight.” 🙂
Our family is going to Hawaii when it gets warmer next year, probably Maui!
Have you mentioned to Terri about coming to Portland? 🙂
Lynton and I are going to Italy beginning of June this year. We haven’t done international travel since 2019 when we went to my nephew’s wedding in Hong Kong.
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Wow, Miriam, what a love story! I know now why you look 20 years younger than you say you are. Being a vegetarian helps a lot, and working out is important, too. I started working out in a PE class to get my AA degree. I was 29, and the weakest person in the class. Of course, most of them were in their teens, LOL. But I made the most progress in the class. I worked out off and on all my life after that.
Your travel plans sound fabulous. Put me in your suitcase! We were going to go to Portugal in June for our 30 wedding anniversary, but we are spending all our travel money this year moving.
Terri knows I’m coming in May, but I haven’t set a date yet since all this other stuff has come into our lives so suddenly.
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Happy Anniversary, Marsha to you and Vince! Yvette is a wonderful contributor and support in our community! 💓
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Yes, she is. It’s been an honor to be part of her contributions. 🙂 xxx
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❤️❤️❤️👍🏽
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A fabulous Rosy post! Happy Anniversary to you both! 💕
I am so glad you found your hard drive! Glad you are back home. I hope all the pets start to acclimate.
Hugs!
PS Sorry I’ll miss you while you are in the Valley.
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I’m sorry to miss you, Nancy. We are moving to back to CA after this visit. It’s been so wonderful to meet you. Hopefully, we will meet some other time by chance or planning. 🙂 xxxx
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I wish you health and happiness with this next chapter in your life. Hugs! Come visit AZ! We love you!
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I’m sure I’ll be back from time to time. Meanwhile, I’m going to go visit you virtually.
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🥰🥰🥰
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Would love to have heard about your Las Vegas stay and Cirque de Soleil. I once saw their show. Just awestruck. Also, would have loved to be a part of the Charles Dickens challenge. Please let me know if you learn of anything like this.
xoxM
>
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I cohosted the last Dickens challenge, so I posted about it a lot. That was a couple of years ago, though. I’ll tell you all about the show soon. It was gorgeous and very funny in places. There was one large woman who played a baby. She came out intermittently. You couldn’t take pictures during the show, though. I didn’t want to get kicked out!
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Happy Anniversary, marriage is something special.
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Thank you, it is. It’s where people first learn to get along together – families. 🙂
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🥰
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How funny the animals weren’t happy to be back…they are funny creatures,
OOXX
Jodie
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No yard. It’s cold. Smells funny! I guess that’s all. Xoxoxo
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What an uplifting post, Marsha. Happy Anniversary to you! Sounds like the trip was wonderful and you are refreshed and ready to tackle life’s next hurdle. Thank you for sharing!
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Thanks, Jan. I’m looking to publish my first poetry book sometime soon.
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Wonderfully rosy post, Marsha! Who needs rose-colored glasses with your positive outlook in life? Great chatting with you yesterday. I’m so glad you found your hard drive! Goldie does look pretty forlorn. Glad she likes Visalia. Have a great day back in winterland. Our low this morning was -2f! But it’s sunny 🌞
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Yikes! Too cold! It was 30 here. It’s up to a balmy 41 at almost noon.
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😆
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Wow, I will quit complaining! Well, maybe. I’m so good at it, it seems a shame to waste a good topic to complain about!
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