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Sunday, July 31, 2016

Day One: A BoJon Heritage with An Irishman and Other Fun

 Sláinte is the basic form in Irish Gaelic. Variations of this toast includesláinte mhaith "good health" in Irish (mhaith being the lenited form of maith "good"). The basic Scottish Gaelic equivalent is slàinte (mhath) (same meaning) to which the normal response is do dheagh shlàinte "your good health".

When you are 100 percent pure sLOVEnian a/k/a BoJon and you marry an Irishman things can get interesting! I did 31 days of My BoJon Heritage last July 2015 and decided to rekindle that experience and try to post each day here at my blog. With all the sadness in our world today and the political hatefulness surrounding the candidates and the social media sites I am steering clear of all of that for honoring my heritage here. It is not fair that I should share my heritage and not my honey's. Now his mother was a Heinz 57 mix of this and that and the other and because I was so close to my late father-in-law and he always loved and supported me, I decided to go with his heritage. I  R I S H! One hundred percent pure. The people who lived through the Irish Potato Famine. The people who came to America to be shunned and slighted like the Jews and other ethnic groups. My father-in-law was a storyteller and he could spin a yard with the best of the storytellers. He grew up in Arkansas. Until the day he died he would say, in his best Arkansas drawl, "Let me tell you, Euell Gibbons use to do commericals for Post Bran cereal and he would say, tastes like wild hickory nuts!" Grandpa Carl as he was fondly known to our  children, would say "Ole Euell Gibbons was a darned liar, wild hickory nuts taste like dirt!"
My hubby loves this candid shot of his late dad. Look at that green grass. He worked three and four jobs at a time and went to school so he could support his phamily. He never complained. He grew up as an orphan. He was the middle child of three youngsters who lost their parents when Carl was three, his older sister Hazel was five and their little brother Allen was one. Raised by their grandparents who lived in Kansas until they passed away they were taken in by a mean ole aunt who wanted only the government monies provided for taking in such relatives. His life with her was so awful he ran away at age 14 and joined the U S Navy, lying about his age to join! By the time he was 20 years old he had been in 5 out of seven seas, and nearly all the continents. He did not wish to travel after his Naval service ended. He felt he had seen enough of the world. 

This photo of Carl Thomas Robinson in his days at the Colorado Fuel and Iron Corporation. My hubby is so blessed, he has his father's brass check and other wonderful memories of his dad. This man was a godly person, who ran his bible and knew and trusted Jesus Christ. He was double jointed so he did this little thing with his knuckles on the living room floor and my kids would go wild with delight! Once when Rebekah was quite small she came home and said I want to sing you a song my grandpa Carl taught me. She belted out these words: If the ocean were whiskey, and I was a duck, I would swim to the bottom and drink it all up! (Hiccup Hiccup)! As you can imagine, I am sure this was an old Navy song they sang aboard the submarine he worked on.
Avery Allen Robinson was the father of our dear Carl Robinson. He passed away from complications of diabetes when he was 32 years old. The genes are striking and they are shared with my husband and youngest son Nick.
Avery A Robinson and Ivy Murphy were both very young when they passed away. Ivy was a school teacher. This is the only photo we have of them together.
Our heritage is so important in our lives, even if you just want to know the medical history that can be helpful to you later on, your heritage is an important part of your life.
I love this cat's message. He is a strikingly handsome feline and I love the way his paw is turned upward. I have a friend who is a Trekkie and you would never know it. Silly girl.
Stop by Sandee's and say Aw...Monday.
9/6/2015 - a sky shoy. Love the blue in the skies.
Blue water and blue skies.  This was taken at Margaret Carpenter Open Spaces. Visit Jeanne  and share some blue for Blue Monday.
We don't have a motorcycle but my son-in-law has a big Harley. It is a fun way to enjoy the sights. But the traffic is overwhelming an you really have to pray hard and be careful.
Maxine always has a bit of fun to throw our way. Like Maxine, I love apple pie too. But you have to watch that extra crust!
I'll be back tomorrow to continue my new 31 days of my heritage. I am just wondering how August came around so quickly?


Friday, July 29, 2016

Pink is Pretty

This is a pink and white house on Main Street in Lamar, Colorado.  I took this photo in July 2010 when we were traveling to  my mother-in-laws graveside service there, after her seven year battle with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.  I think this is a sweet little place. It made all of us smile. I would love to be able to peek inside. I love to see how homes are decorated on the inside.
This google image was painted by Robert Thomaston. Isn't it just lovely?
This yellow rose is so pretty. I know it is not pink but because we have a gray and yellow bed cover I wanted to add a pretty yellow rose print on the gray walls we have.  Maybe I will find a pink rose print to match. What do you think?
We have been planting roses. So far we have five beautiful roses growing in our front and back yard. When we bought this house in 2010 there was an overgrown rose bush on the side of the backyard. I took a pair of garden clippers and cleaned up that rose bush. It started to produce the most beautiful dark pink roses, We recently cleaned it up again as it was bending close to the ground and really looking shabby. Today it is standing so tall and pretty. I love roses. Do you? Please visit Pink Saturday and thank Beverly for hosting and tell some Pinkies hello and thank you for sharing their pinks too. Have a wonderful weekend.

Monday, July 25, 2016

MONDAY FUN DAY

Lazy kitty, fat kitty, likes to lay around. He is being nosey, looking at Stella who loves to come lay down on the bed. He has the life doesn't he?
Stella is getting so gray. She is a very mellow girl and likes quiet and rest. The heat is too much for these furry friends. I hope you stop by Sandee's and say Aw....Monday!
This birthday boy wore his blue Kentucky hat to lunch on Saturday. He loves Mexican food like I do so we went to Laguanas. The wait staff there love serving those icy cold beers to their customers. I like ice water instead! Say hi to Jeanne at Blue Monday and visit more blues.

Happy Handsome Harrison loves blue too. He is a joy to be around. Getting so big and battling the grandfather in this next series of photos:
Are you talking to me Grandfather? Giggle Giggle
I'm the boss, not you Grandfather!
Raspberries Grandfather! I will debate this boss business with you all day long.
Perhaps a nap will clear my mind!
No one understand how hard it is to be this handsome. A tiny boy growing up so quickly right before our eyes. I love my BoJon Heritage and those big blue eyes. I think it is a Kocman thing. Both of my grandmothers had blue eyes, I have blue eyes,  Grammie Noelle has blue eyes and Daddy Colton has blue eyes too. Yay! Blue Eyes Rule!
Noelle bought this sweet birthday boy daddy some new shirts. My hubby is not a cake kinda guy so we had three kinds of yummy pie for his birthday dessert! Did I tell you those shirts are blue too?

Finally a word to end this day from Maxine:
I have to stop letting Maxine get in my head! I need my yoga! My Jack LaLanne videos and my Beachbody workouts!

Have a terrific week!

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Bittersweet Memories Today

Today is a day filled with bittersweet memories. Although my sweet hubby celebrates another birthday and teases me and tells everyone he married an older woman, today we are equal in age!
Through the years, this man can make me laugh and some of the times we have shared together have been anything but laughable! His strong faith keeps him grounded and therefore keeps me happy as a lark  most days!
If I am going to be stuck in this world when times are difficult and worrisome I want to be stuck like glue with him!
Today is bittersweet for us because my hubby lost his mother ont his date six years ago. This photo is from 1960 on a phamily vacation to my late father-in-law's home state of Arkansas. Oh how my hubby looks like his dadd's twin and our youngest son Nick too! Good genetics!
My daddy Edward Joseph Kocman Sr. was born on this date in the year of Our Lord 1911. He started a chain for good BoJon's. Late cousin Audrey's hubby Chuck turns 81 today and cousin Kay Samples Elliott told me not only is her birthday today but my folks were godparents for her baptism. Thanks daddy, you were the best dad a girl could ask for in this world. Miss you so much.
I am unsure which one of these precious children happen to be my daddy but my grandparents had a wonderful phamily, although filled with much tragedy.
My dad in the top row middle celebrating his parents 60th wedding anniversary with all his siblings that survived. They LOVED their phamilies. I am ashamed so many  siblings are not so loving these days.

Dad you loved celebrating with phamily and cake and ice cream. You loved your little gifts of new cologne too.  Thirty one years gone and I feel like it was just yesterday. Miss you much.

A rose in heaven for Rita Blackwell Robinson my hubby's mom who he misses very much. Today has been six years that you left this earth to spend your days in heaven.

Love you Avery, you are my sunshine.

Thank you for letting me share my loves with you. Makes this BoJon girl happy. Visit Beverly and share some pink today.

Monday, July 18, 2016

Hummingbirds and Furry Phamily Friends

My youngest daughter Hannah is quite the talent! Her best buddy Nicole had a bachelor party and they did these awesome paintings! Hannah's friend Bonnie loves hummingbirds and she is thinking of giving her this artful beauty. I missed Blue Monday last week, in fact, I missed everything here last week. One of those weeks where you need to stop, reflect, chill and spend quality time with Handsome Happy Harrison! I thought Jeanne and the Blue Crew would enjoy seeing this painting with the pretty aqua blue background.
We keep hitting those 90's and the blue skies are gorgeous since most fires have been contained . It was a miserable few weeks. Saturday I joined my hubby to sort and deliver mail at his office. Once a month he gets awesome overtime to do this and I love helping him out. This crane was across the street from the Federal Building where the OKC Bombing Trial took place. Back then Jeremy worked a construction crew and they worked inside that building. It still saddens me to think of what happened and I do not like giving notoriety to any mass murderer. Our mainstream media glorify these people and never give the respect the victims are due. Sadness. Our world is madness.
Silly dogs. Smokey has a smile for the camera, Stella, not so much! That girl hates her picture taking! Must be something mysterious from her past. So I am joining Sandee and everyone at Aw...Monday. I wanted to capture my friend and neighbor Kodiak but once I hand over his daily treat, he retreats to the coolness of his house. That old fella is moving more slowly each day and his sight  is shot. Yet last Fall he took an adventure. He got out of the side gate at his house, and walked all the way to Aurora, Colorado. Now let me tell you, that is a long way away from here. Thankfully a good Samaritan found him and he returned home safely. I guess he felt a big adventure was needed in his golden years.
I found two cool and very blue water rafts for the pool for $1.50 a piece at Walmart. I love those bargains. The hubby and I enjoy a dip in the swimming pool. This Love is...shares our sentiments.
Maxine is keeping with my summer theme today. HaHaHa! Don't you just love those trunks her dog is sporting?
I love this image of sLOVEnia! My cousin Kay had the chance to visit last summer. I would love to visit too. But the state of our world is so uncertain. I pray more than I do most things. But a year ago I put up daily posts about my BoJon Heritage. My cousin Mike had started a blog several years early as a journal and journey for his kids and grandkids and nieces and nephews. Lost of things have happened in our old neighborhood and the EPA has started helping folks there. That is a long story for another time , but I still love the place I called home for so much of my life. A lifelong friend still has her mom living in their home behind my childhood home and she visits her mom as often as she can although these days, like me, Carol lives in Denver. I decided I need to revisit BoJon town and so during the month of August I am going to try to post each day. Now I have a  few days where Nick needs to get back to school and running and finish that degree but I want to keep my heritage alive for as long as I am able. So I hope you will come along for the ride.
I love this guy! Happy and Handsome Harrison James! I was blessed with his company all day on Friday. Momma and Daddy work for the same company and since they work different hours Daddy swung by with this handsome boy in tow and he spent his day with this grammie. He has a summer cold and so I kept that tissue box close. Nick and I both are struggling with summer cold. A neighbor has a huge cottonwood tree and that is lethal to me. I am so allergic to trees and that one is top of the list. This baby is growing so quickly and his cutie onesie said "Dude, your girlfriend keeps checking me out!" He loves being with this grammie and I am bittersweet about his journey at daycare but I do understand and he needs time with other kids his own age. I just cherish my time with him. You can never be sad when Harrison is around. He has the biggest smile and each time I see him he is doing something new.

Imej lep dan Se vidiva kmalu



Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Aw...Mondays/Blue Monday/Love is.../Maxiine Cracks Me Up/

Leo and Smokey were resting in the cool comfort of air conditioning while outside the temperatures were rising. They are just adorable. Please visit Sandee and say Aw...Monday. I am late, the internet was on the fritz, we kept getting five minutes of giant raindrops and then more sunshine. It was a weird day.
Leo was enjoying the Fourth of July festivities yesterday. My son-in-law Roger snapped this photo.
Hannah's diamond shaped birthday cake. Vickie at the Albertson's bakery near our home does one amazing job with these beautiful cakes.
The lighting made the frosting look lime green when it was really Hannah's favorite color, mint green.
Hannah bought this pool and we have all had so much fun. I will tell you, you have not lived until you ride that slice of pizza in the pool!
Noelle enjoying the cool pool.
Rebekah and Noelle enjoying some pool time.
Noelle and I enjoyed sharing that pizza slice. It was fun to float on. I hope Jeanne and the Blue Monday crowd stop by soon.
Too much fireworks yesterday! People were shooting fireworks at 2:00 A,M. Oh my goodness, I did not think I would ever get to fall asleep. Jeremy said it was the same in his neighborhood, and the police showed up at two a.m. on the street directly in front of his house. Silly people.
Ah,,,,even Maxine was wishing the Stars and Stripes well. Hope you had a wonderful 4th and hope it was safe. Considering the disgraceful turn our nation is taking, I pray, trust God and value my freedom for the time being and those who fought and are fighting to keep it.