CA Flora and Fauna

CA cont...

Hotel and conference shots. I meant to get a picture of my friend Judy from Ohio, and we were so busy catching up that it never got done! (Harry, Husband and Soybean Assn. steak supper.)

California Advertising

Over-the-top advertising in Hollywood.

Hollywood II

Since the Academy Awards were to be on Sunday, we were able to see the red carpet and Oscar, although they were covered by plastic. Madame Tussad's Wax Museum was on the same block. We did not go in, but saw these famous "people".

Hollywood

The famous sign.

Walk of fame.

Our tour guide said that it's Halloween every day in Hollywood. These people pose with you for tips.

Grumman's Chinese Theater and famous cement prints.

California

The flight out was amazing. We flew over the lights of Los Angeles for what seemed like forever. The freeway at rush hour is overwhelming. We went on a tour of Hollywood and saw some nice architecture.

High School Sweethearts

A friend sent us a copy of the article about us that was in the local paper on Valentine's Day. There was also a video on the paper's web site. I lost my copy of the paper, so was glad to get another. Thanks, Jim and Jill.The article was about high school sweethearts. Here is what it said:

Their story: Because their parents were friends, J and K spent a lot of time together as kids.

"We had similar families and similar backgrounds. We both came from a farm, and our parents were in a couples club together," J. says. "I can remember going down to their place and swinging on the swings and watching the "Wonderful World of Disney" on their TV."

J. liked K. from the start.

"I liked him in gradeschool-I thought he was cute-but he liked my best friend," J. remembers. But one day, things changed. As she wrote in her diary, "K. doesn't like Brenda anymore. I think he likes me."

But her feelings for him were not reciprocated until they were in bookeeping class together in high school. "He contends thet if he liked me back then, it would have ruined it. So it's a good thing we waited."

Once they got together there was no turning back. "That was it. There wasn't anyone else," J. says.

The couple tied the knot after K. finished college."We got married the first available weekend after he graduated," J says. "It was May, a bad time for farmers, but we got married anyway."

After 28 years, they still act like newlyweds.

"We have six kids together, but after all these years, I still have a crush on him," J says. "I still think he's hot."

Secret to lasting love: The two always put each other first. "He's the most important person in my life," J. says. "He takes care of me. I try to take care of him. That's important."

***Husband and I started first grade together and went through all 12 years of school together, as well as 1 semester of college, before I dropped out to go to floral school. I was 10 years old when I wrote about liking him in my diary. He was the only boy who ever asked me if he could kiss me first. We dated 4 years.